Thanks for the Memories
by bubblemoon66
Summary: Vampirates. Lorcan's still hurt and he's getting worse but just how far is Grace willing to go to save him? LorcanGrace. LorcanOC. Takes place after Tide of Terror.
1. No Matter What

_Ok, I know I shouldn't start another fic but I can't help myself, it pretty much wrote itself. I'm still planning on finishing 'New Sydney' but I've pretty much given up on 'Follow Your Heart' (so ideas are really appreciated, guys) But at least with this fic I've go it all planned out. I know this is probably going to get really confusing later but just kinda go along with the flow of the story..._

_Some things are similar to Blood Captain in the beginning of the fic but I promice it's alot different. takes place after Tide of Terror. R&R._

_Vampirates and all related characters, plots, etc belong to Justin Somper. 'Thanks for the memories' lyrics by fall out boy._

* * *

_** Been looking forward to the future,  
But my eyesight is going bad,  
And this crystal ball.  
It's always cloudy except for,  
When you look into the past.**_

* * *

Grace sat on the very edge of Lorcan's four-poster bed. It had been three weeks since she had returned to the _Nocturne_and they were no closer to finding a cure than they had been when she had first arrived back. Even now Lorcan was lying in bed breathing deeply, his eyes closed. Grace sighed, what wouldn't she give for Lorcan to just get better. But there was nothing she could do, he refused to get better, he refused blood, and now he was getting worse with every passing day. Grace felt tears begin to well up in the comers of her eyes. _What wouldn't she give…_Grace lay a hand tenderly on Lorcan's ice cold cheek. He sat bolt upright making Grace jump then blush a deep red. She had been so careful to hide her emotions around Lorcan; she didn't need him worrying about more than he needed to.

"Hey, you okay?"

Grace smiled choking back tears. He was always so considerate, why couldn't he just put himself first for once? "I'm fine. I didn't wake you up did I?"

"No, I was already awake."

"You should try and get some sleep then…"

Lorcan smiled at her, and lay back down.

Uncertain, Grace took his hand into hers. Then she started to sing quietly…

_I'll tell you a tale of Vampirates_

_A tale as old as true _

_Yea, I'll sing you a song of an ancient ship _

_And it's mighty fearsome crew_

_Yea, I'll sing you a song of an ancient ship_

_That sails the ocean blue_

_That haunts the oceans blue…_

Lorcan's smile broadened as he drifted off into the water's of a deep and dreamless sleep, as Grace continued to sing.

* * *

Grace stood up as she finished the shanty, letting go of Lorcan's hand. She walked across the room and opened to door, Just as she was about to close it again behind her she heard Lorcan, murmur something softly, "Anna..." Grace paused, Lorcan's voice sounded painful, but he appeared to be sleeping quiet deeply ans she didn't want to wake him. She waited to see if he would say something else, but he stayed quiet. Grace closed the door and quickly made her way up onto the main deck, where the Captain's cabin was. She tapped lightly on the door which swung open as soon as her hand made contact with the wood. _'Come in, my dear...' _Grace heard the Captain's whisper echo in her mind. She entered the cabin, _'Come, sit down'_ Grace sat down on the old wooden rocking chair by the fire, the captain appeared somewhere from the shadows, and joined her. _'How is he?' _Grace didn't need to even ask who he was talking about, "He's asleep at the moment, but I think he's getting worse"

The Captain sighed, "I feared this may happen, something is stopping him from healing, something from his past" Grace nodded she had come to a similar conclusion. It seemed to her, that Lorcan was _afraid _to drink blood, _afraid _to open his eyes once more. She had tried numerous times in the past few weeks to find out what, but he had never told her about his life, Darcy and Sidorio had been completely willing to tell her their life story, but Lorcan seemed determined to hide his mysterious past from her.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Grace asked frustrated. _'Yes, but of course' _Grace's heart lept, it wouldn't be long before they found the solution they needed; Lorcan could get better and it wouldn't be long before he was back to his normal self again. But then why hadn't anyone said anything? Why had they been wasting time when Lorcan was in so much pain? _'You are so full of questions, you must be patient.' _The captain sighed, _'There is a way in which we may be able to help Lorcan, but I'm not whether or not it's the right thing to do.' _Grace nodded, but she knew she would try anything to make Lorcan better.

The captain seemed deep in thought, deciding whether or not he was making the right choice. _'There is a way you can help Lorcan, but it's up to you whether or not you want to help, you may learn things you did not wish to know and he may never forgive you for it.' _

Grace was puzzled by the Captain's words, but she nodded her head with a determined expression anyway, she had to try, no mater what the costs.


	2. Time Travel?

_This chatper makes no sense but it's suppost to explain what's going to happen. I forgot to metion that all the captain's speech is in italics because character's hear his voice in there own heads rather than outload. Also, (i know this dosen't have anything to do with anything but anyway...) did anyone see Latvia's preformance in Eurovision? It rocked! Pirates this year, Vampires last year -Maybe it'll be 'Vampirates next year. R&R_

* * *

The captain handed her a bundle of white cloth. Grace looked down at it confused. "What am I suppose to do?"

'_Do you remember how you travelled here, while you were at pirate academy?' _Grace nodded her head. _'This is similar,' _she nodded her head again, but she still didn't understand how that would help. It could be very irritating around the captain, when she was trying to find out something,

'_You travelled hear because you care for Lorcan.'_

"How does that help us?"

'_I hope to use the same trick twice, only slightly differently.' _Grace was even more confused now. _'You remember you could access what Lorcan was feeling? But then later you managed to see the same thing again from a different point of view?' _Grace almost shivered, remembering what it had felt like? "You want me to feel what he feels?'

'_No, I want you to see his thoughts or rather memories from your own point of view. I want you to travel into his past to find out what's wrong.' _Travel into the past? Wasn't that time travel? That was impossible. But then again who was she to judge reality.

'_It's not time travel.' _the captain said reading her thoughts. _'It's almost impossible to explain. It's more like living in his memories, only you won't be able to change anything because it's already happened.' _Grace thought she understood, but some of it was slightly hard to comprehend; she unfolded the cloth, it was a long regency style dress. There was also a heavy drawstring purse wrapped up care fully in the middle. _'It won't be real but it will feel as if it is. You'll get hungry and tired as normal, but it's important to remember that while you won't change history, other people will still see and react to you so it's important you stay out of the way as much as possible other wise you will have trouble __judging what's real and what's not_. And just remember that Lorcan is still human there and _won't recognise you because he hasn't met you yet _and he wouldn't remember you being there when you get back because you were never really there in the first place.'

It was a lot to take in. _'Grace, you don't have to do this,' _Grace shook her head, of course she had o do this she'd never forgive herself if she didn't. She had a hundred questions but she didn't know where to start, eventually she settled for the obvious one; "How do I get there?"

* * *

Grace sat down on the bed in her cabin, she didn't know whether to be more nervous or excited. She stood up and quickly changed into the dress. She picked up the purse and opened it, inside was a large handful of gold coins. It seemed odd to need real money to buy something when she wasn't even going to really be there. She tied the bag round her wrist and laid back down on the bed. All she needed to do was think of Lorcan until she fell asleep, which wouldn't be to hard….Grace closed her eyes and quickly fell into a deep sleep.


	3. A Strange Place

___Thanks for the reviews everyone! This is kinda a boring chapter but it'd building up. This fic isn't very Historically accurate since I'd have to start writing things like: 'One must never eat fish with the fork on the left' and everyone would probably fall asleep reading it. So it's content not style or language._

* * *

Grace's eyes were closed, but she could still feel the sun shining onto her bare arms and face. Whatever she was lying down on felt hard and uncomfortable and she knew she was no longer in her cabin, back aboard the _Nocturne. _Grace opened her eyes and sat upright. She was wearing the white dress and the drawstring purse was still tied around her wrist. Around her, Grace could see a brownish-grey stone walls too two sides, a little way in front of her, where the walls (or rather buildings) ended was well worn a dirt road. She could here people shouting -and laughing, and in the background she hear the familiar sound of waves breaking against the shore and the briny smell of fish: Rreminding her of the harbour back in Crescent Moon Bay.

Grace stood up and regretted it almost instantly, she stumbled and only managed to stop from falling down by leaning on one of the walls for support as she tried to steady herself. After a few minuets she managed to regain her balance and stand upright. She had no idea where she was, or even _when _she was. Oh, she might be able to hazard a guess as long as she had actually managed to travel back to Lorcan's time, but she had no idea of knowing _exactly _when or where she was. Though, hopefully it won't stay that way for long, Grace was never one to leave someplace new unexplored.

Grace stepped out of the alleyway, leaving the safety she had felt when she had been hidden from sight. There were people everywhere wearing old-fashioned clothes, they all seemed busy working but not nearly busy enough not to notice her. Grace's cheeks burned as she felt people turn to stare at her, she tried to look like she had a purpose as she walked down what was clearly the main road in the town but she hadn't a clue where she was going. Suddenly, she felt very alone, despite the people all around her, she didn't belong here and they could tell, as if there were some unseen force telling them she was different. She longed for something familiar in this strange place, so she decided to follow the sound of the ocean; something she had known all her life.

It only took a minuet or two to reach the beech but even then, it didn't feel quiet right, the docks were swarming with people and the grey sea dotted with fishing boat, she needed to be alone, away from the loud bustle of the town, so she followed the coast north. The sand was mostly flat except for the odd tide pool now and again, the tide was out but it was already starting to creep it's way back in again. Just like the panic and doubt Grace felt start to wash over her. What was she doing? She didn't know anyone at all here and it didn't seem as if the townspeople were very fond of outsiders.

Grace came to a halt as she realised she had come to a creek, she decided to follow it; after all it wasn't like she had anything better to do.

She was already starting to feel tired after half an hour of walking uphill, she hadn't seen a single soul anywhere and she couldn't help but wonder what she should do. She sat down by the side of the water her mind brimming with questions. Around her were green fields and in the distance she could just make out livestock scattered across the countryside. A high pitch scream broke Grace's train of thought making her jump up in surprise. Another scream followed. Grace didn't hesitate any longer, she ran as fast as she could in the direction where she had last heard the scream.


	4. Drowning

Grace stopped running as she approached the girl who had screamed; she seemed vaguely familiar, she looked older than Grace by about 2 years and had black hair tied up in a tight bun at the nape of her neck. She was also wearing a dark blue dress in the same style as Grace's. She seemed to be in shock.

"Are you okay?" Grace asked "Anna…" the girl whispered.

The name stirred something in the back of her mind but she pushed it aside. "What's wrong?"

"She can't swim…." the girl whispered in horror. Grace glanced at the river and noticed bubbles rising to the surface of the water. She looked back at the girl again as what was happening sunk in, "You've got to help me get her out." The girl ignored her, rooted to the ground in shock. Grace couldn't waste time waiting for her to regain her senses, the bubbles were becoming less frequent. She jumped into the water. Only realising too late that she hadn't taken an extra breathe before jumping in.

She'd almost forgotten what it was like to drown. But now she felt drawn to the place. It was beautiful underwater, the water was a murky grey but she could still see the sun reflecting off the surface and illuminating the world below. The river wasn't deep but it was strong. The current pushed her downwards until she could see the soft sand and tiny pebbles at the bottom. There were plants too, green things wriggling like snakes, a death-trap for anyone unlucky enough to get ensnared by them. Grace felt at peace under the water. The land above seemed a world away from the cool pull of the river, calling her downwards, telling her to close her eyes and take a nice deep breathe…

'_NO!' _Grace cried out; a second mistake, she realised, as icy water filled her lungs.

The girl's black hair was fanned out like tentacles in the water. She looked extremely young. Why she must only be about 7 or 8; Grace thought to herself once she saw her. Her features were similar to the older girl's, _Sisters _she realized. The girl, Anna, was still struggling, albeit rather feebly. Grace took that as a good sign, at least she was still conscious. It was the current keeping the girl down. She put a arm around the girls waste and tried to swim upwards. But she didn't make it very far. _I can't do this. _Grace thought, panic rising as the current pushed her back downwards again.. If she let go of the girl she could make it, after all she had faced worst battles then this out in the ocean and there was no sense in both of them dying….

But she couldn't bring herself to let go of the poor girl. _They were going to die…_

The current shifted and a surge of water underneath her, pushing her _upwards _instead of down. The panic left her, Maybe her luck had finally changed.


	5. Bright Blue, Smoky Grey

_Sorry these chapters are so short, the next ones much_ _longer. Hmmm...I wonder how many chapters i can write in one day? And Lorcan's in the next chapter! YAY!!_

Grace gasped as her head broke the river's surface. The girl, Anna, started coughing up the water she had swallowed. Well, at least she's alive Grace thought to herself. However she soon faced another challenge how was she going to get to the shore. She couldn't swim, not with her arm wrapped around Anna's waist, keeping the younger girl who couldn't swim from sinking back down again. Luckily the older girl back on shore had seemed to regain manoeuvrability in her limbs and reached out a hand to pull her sister out of the river. It worked and Grace let go of Anna and swam to shore by herself.

The older girl was sobbing wildly as she hugged Anna tightly. Grace pulled herself up onto the shore and managed to stand shakily to her feet. She stood still awkwardly for a moment unsure what to do. She didn't want to intrude on the reunion but she wasn't sure where to go either. The older girl suddenly seemed to remember she was there and flung her arms around Grace giving her a quick hug and catching Grace completely unawares. "Thank you, so much…I thought I'd lost her…I can't believe I let it happen…but she safe now…I don't know what I would have done without her" the girl gushed out in between sobs. The girl's voice was soft but it had a slight hysterical edge to it too. The accent was distinctly Irish but it had a slight air to it completely different to the voices she'd heard back in the harbour. Grace's wasn't sure what to say in return besides a quit mumble of, "Your welcome."

Grace looked at the other two girls, Anna seemed slightly rattled by what had happened but not nearly as much as her sister who was still visibly shaking. Both of them had matching black hair, and they had similar faces though Anna's was quiet a bit rounder. They had different eyes too, Grace noticed, the older girl's were a warm smoky grey while Anna's were a bright blue, the same exact shade she had come to love so much. It's just a coincidence she told herself.

The girl managed to calm down and stop sobbing and her voice lost the hysterical edge too, but her cheeks started to blush and she looked down at the floor suddenly embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I overreacted. I'm Josephine, Josephine Furey." -Maybe more than a coincidence: The eyes, the feeling of familiarity, the fact that she was supposedly in Lorcan's memories and the same last name. If it had been one or two of these on it's own maybe it could be passed off as a coincidence, but not altogether, not now. She was positive that Josephine and Anna were somehow related to Lorcan.

Grace's smiled, "I'm Grace, Grace Tempest." she held out her hand and Josephine shook it uncertainly. Then she seemed to remember something, "Oh, your all wet! I'm sorry, you must be freezing. You can come back our manor and dry off there, it's not far, only about a 15 minute walk from here." She didn't give Grace a chance to protest, herding her and Anna east through the fields. Grace couldn't help but smile following the sisters through the fields think of Lorcan, this was probably her best chance of finding him and then for finding the cure. Grace's smile broadened, Her luck had defiantly changed.


	6. The Manor

_This chapter is super long -or at least it was on word- but it's worth reading just for the end, just don't kill me! (you'll find out why!)_

As soon as she saw it Grace realised instantly why Josephine had referred to it as '_manor' _rather than '_house'. _It was a beautiful, large, stone building built from the same materials as the houses in the harbour were, only it was much fancier. Tall stone walls surrounded the lush gardens, but the gates were open making the whole place seem friendly and welcoming, but it still made Grace feel nervous, as well as slightly curious; She'd never been in a building as grand as this one, she didn't want to break anything inside or make a fool of herself, but she was also egger to explore and poke round the unused corners of the house.

Josephine had been right when she said it took about 15 minuets to reach her home, but that was only to the gate. It took another 10 minuets to walk through the gardens, following the dirt paths lined with flowers up to the front door. She got the feeling that Josephine, Anna and whoever else they lived with them must be very well-off to live in such a beautiful place but it was little things that she found slightly disconcerting, like the unkempt flower borders or the rusting gate, small things which she hadn't noticed at first.

Josephine knocked on the door before opening it. It wasn't locked and inside was just as beautiful as the outside although Grace noticed that some of the furniture looked well-worn in places but it still managed to look just as impressive. Inside a small grey-haired women stood waiting for them, Grace quickly identified her as a servant, remembering her history lesson's from Crescent Moon bay thought she certainly didn't act like it. "Anna! Josephine! Do you have any idea how worried your mother's been! You should have been back over an hour ago! Dinner's almost done and you haven't even changed yet!" The old women didn't even notice Grace, as she continued to scold the sisters until Josephine managed to squeeze in a word as the woman paused for breathe. "Anna fell in the creek." The woman squinted at them, and Grace realised she could barely see, "Your all wet." she remarked to Anna, "Go find Rosaline and have her get you ready for bed." Then she saw Grace, "And who's this?"

"I'm Grace." The old women looked puzzled for a moment then went back to her normal bossy state, "Well what are you waiting for, go get changed!"

Josephine smiled sympathetically, "I apologize for her, most of the time she doesn't have a clue about what's going on, but nobody has the heart to get rid of her. Plus there's not a better cook in all of Europe." Grace grinned at the girl's fondness for the old women. She could already feel the starts of a friendship forming between her and Josephine as she led her up the stairs and into a long hallway. Josephine opened one of the dark mahogany doors along the hall, diapering into the room beyond. Grace paused for a moment to look round before following Josephine threw the doorway.

Sun shone threw the windows illuminating the somewhat dark interior of the bedroom. Josephine opened the doors of a tall ebony wardrobe and handed Grace a dark green dress complete with gold embroidery. "I'll be back in a few minuets, once I tell mother you're staying for dinner." She said leaving the room and shutting the door behind her before Grace had a chance to protest. Grace quickly changed into the new, dry dress leaving the old one draped over the back of a chair, still dripping wet.

Fifteen minuets later, someone knocked on the door. Grace opened it; Josephine stood outside, "Are you ready?"

Grace nodded her head and managed a small "Yes," and followed Josephine back downstairs. The truth was Grace felt far from ready, she read about the Regency period in school before : an age of propriety, mannerisms and fashion as well as coarseness, obscenity and backstabbing family scandals. -Not quiet on Grace's list of 'No. #1 place's to visit.

Josephine gave Grace a friendly smile seeing her worried expression as they stopped outside another closed door, She opened it and gestured for Grace to enter.

The first thing Grace noticed was a woman dressed in a black long-sleeved, floor-length with black lace complete with a matching hat and veil, in, of course, black. Grace found the woman's demeanour slightly alarming, it almost reminded her of a rather elaborate funeral and the tiny amount of skin Grace could see was pale reminding her of the typical fairy-tale witch

-or vampire…

The woman lifted her veil and smiled, making Grace revoke all of her previous opinions. Her smile was warm and caring, a smile Grace had seen mirrored on Josephine's face when Anna was rescued. She was beautiful, not in a breathtaking or extravagant way like a supermodel, bit in a warm and loving way. She had black hair streaked with bits of grey at the roots and blue eyes, warm blue eyes, loving blue eyes, caring blue eyes, eyes you knew you could trust….and another pair of those same blue eye's hidden in the shadows…

Grace turned as Lorcan stood up from the chair he had been lounging in, hidden in the corner of the room. He was grinning, Grace felt her heart flutter, she knew that grin. At last! -Someone she could talk to, She could tell him how silly she had been to travel back in time, and he would say something to cheer her up, like he always did….Only, something seemed wrong, Lorcan's skin was more flushed and his eyes seemed younger than the eyes she knew. She remembered what the Captain had said: _Lorcan is still human there and won__'__t recognise you because he hasn't met you yet. _So it wasn't Lorcan, or rather it was, just not the one she knew. He bowed and Grace had to bite her bottom lip to stop herself laughing. "Hello, Lorcan"

He looked surprised, "You know me?"

"Oh, Your sister mentioned you earlier." It was a small lie but how else could she explain it, she just hoped Josephine wasn't paying any attention.

"Oh," He seemed amused, shooting a glance at his sister who was busy asking her mother something. The women with the veil laughed, "Don't be do rude to our guest, Lorcan, introduce yourself properly." It was clear the women was Lorcan's mother just from the way she spoke to him, helped by the fact that they looked so similar. "I apologise Miss-"

"Tempest; Grace Tempest"

"Miss. Tempest. I'm Lorcan Furey, this is Lady Josephine and Lady Kyna. I'd like to thank you for saving my sister's life." Grace bit her lip again, harder this time. It just seemed so odd to hear Lorcan talk so formally. Lorcan caught her expression and grinned once again. Kyna looked disapprovingly at him before turning her attention to Grace. "I'm sorry Miss. Tempest, I'm afraid were quiet an old-fashioned family, though I know that's no excuse for my son's ill manors." Grace couldn't help but smile at that. Josephine gestured for Grace to join her across the room, Lorcan shot her one last smile before turning back to his mother. "Old-fashioned?" Grace questioned. Josephine let out a small light laugh, "Barbaric; saying whatever comes to mind. Lorcan's always like that though, he's even worse since he became Lord of the manor." Grace laughed too, she was enjoying herself now; she was surprised Lorcan had never told her he had sisters or that he was of nobility. "When did he become 'Lord'?" Josephine grew serious again, "When our father died, two years ago." she said shooting a glance at her mother's black attire. Suddenly Josephine smiled again, though some of her sadness still seemed to linger, "He's not very good at it though, Mothers always telling him to be more polite and less bold-"

Josephine stooped speaking as the parlour door was opened yet again. Grace turned to look at the pale girl who had entered. The girl was young and pretty, probably about the same age as Josephine, with light blonde hair covering her head in locks of curls. She was dressed more elegantly than anyone else in the room. Suddenly everything seemed to lose the light and cheerful feeling and everyone grew serious. From the corner of her eye Grace saw Lorcan go rigid and stand up straight. He smiled, not like before when he had been joking around, more like -well, Grace wasn't sure exactly how to describe his expression. The girl smiled back sweetly, before changing her expression to a polite interest as she caught sight of Grace. Lorcan cleared his throat nervously,

"Miss. Tempest may I present to you Lady Catalina de Bánffy, Marchioness of Mureş, and my fiancée."


	7. Dinner

_Sorry I couldn't get this out any sooner, guys, I've been really busy. Thanks so much for the reviews, they make my day. I'll try to get the next chapter up ASAP but I have no idea when that is. Before anyone asks: Catalina and Josephine are 16, Anna is 7, Lorcan is still 17. Clare is 11 and Davin is 4 (you'll meet them both later). R&R_

* * *

_My fiancée… _

Grace felt her heart go cold, he couldn't be serious. She looked at his expression to see if he was joking but he had eyes only for Catalina. Grace's throat felt swollen, she couldn't speak, and her eye's burned.

"Catalina, this is Miss. Grace Tempest"

Catalina curtsied and Grace tried to copy her, failing miserably. "Shall we enter the dinning room, now that everyone's here?" Kyna asked. Josephine nodded her head. While Catalina linked arms with Lorcan, Josephine followed. The only left in the room besides Grace was Lorcan's mother, "Are you feeling alright, dear? You look awfully pale."

Grace nodded, to afraid to speak in case her voice gave her away. She followed Kyna into the dinning room and took a place beside her. Josephine sat opposite Grace next to Catalina and between Catalina and Kyna, at the head of the table, sat Lorcan. The table was already laid with white and cream, floral porcelain and crystal glasses over a clean white table cloth. Grace breathe deeply, trying to calm herself, she wasn't going to burst into tears in front of everyone, instead she focused her mind on grand décor of the room, with it's elegantly carved oak table, tall Georgian windows draped with velvet and the luxurious smell of food coming form another room; anything to keep her mind away from the pretty, angelic like creature sitting across the other side of the room.

Lorcan stood up dragging Grace back into reality (or whatever you wish to call it), "I would like to take this opportunity to thank Miss. Grace Tempest for saving my dearest sister, Anna, whom would not be here if not for this brave, young woman." There was a small round of applause from around the table and Lorcan sat down. Grace blushed, she hated being the centre of attention. She looked up as a red-haired maid, who looked about twenty served her a creamy chowder soup from a large ceramic dish. Grace ate slowly trying not to feel sick as she watched Lorcan laugh at something his _fiancée _had said. Suddenly Catalina turned her attentions to Grace. Her voice was sweet, almost to sweet, her accent sounded somewhat familiar, although Grace couldn't place it, it didn't seem to fit in with the soft Irish brogues of the others, "If you don't mind me asking what brings you to Ireland, your clearly not from around here."

Grace choked on the soup she had just swallowed. She hadn't thought of that. She thought futility for something to say, "My brother owns a shipping company, he had business north of here but I wished to see some of Ireland while we were here."

Everyone stared at her in surprise, That was the best lie Grace had ever come up with.

Kyna was first to recover, "Really, how intriguing, do you travel often?"

"Quiet often, I live with my brother on one of his ships."

"How wonderful! It must be lovely to see so many different places."

"So where are you originally from?" Catalina asked.

"Australia"

"And where is that?"

To late Grace realised her mistake. She knew her country's history well enough to know the name Australia wasn't officially used until after 1824 and before then was mainly know as New South Wales. Yet she couldn't say that either in fear of them thinking she was a convict, "Umm…Its south."

"South of where?" Catalina asked her chocolate-brown eyes wide with interest.

Grace waved her hand vaguely, "Just South,"

"South of France perhaps or Bulgaria? I know the place of many different countries."

"It's south of China and Indonesia." she said, not wanting to lie more than necessary. Lorcan looked impressed making Grace feel slightly smug, "Really? So far away?"

Grace nodded. "And is it so wonderful to see so many places?"

Kyna laughed at her son's eager voice, "Don't ask so many questions Lorcan, Think about what kind of impression you making on poor Miss. Tempest."

Lorcan grinned making Grace smile as well. Her smile faded as she noticed Catalina's pursed her lips expressing her disapproval.

A second course arrived, brought in by the same red-haired maid who place a number of different dishes in the centre of the table. Grace followed everyone else's lead and took small samples of the dishes near her, as Josephine promised the food was delicious.

"How are Anna's and Clare's lessons going?" Kyna asked Josephine while Lorcan chatted away with Catalina, She nodded her head in reply and he kissed her hand. Grace looked down at her plate, suddenly she didn't feel so hungry anymore.

A third and final course was brought out, Grace hardly touched it, she couldn't even bare to look at the happy couple opposite. "Are you okay, dear?" Kyna asked looking worried. Grace forced herself to smile, "Yes, I'm fine, just tired I guess"

"Of course, I'm so sorry, you should have said something. You must be exhausted. I'll have Rosaline show you to your room."

"Oh no, I couldn't, you've been hospitable enough as it is, I wouldn't want to intrude any longer." Truthfully Grace wasn't sure she really _wanted_ to stay any longer.

"Nonsense dear, you saved my daughter's life, this is the least I can do." Kyna continued, "Rosaline show-"

"I'll do it, mother" Josephine interrupted standing up. Grace followed her out of the room and back upstairs, this time to the third floor. Josephine lead her into another bedroom. "Do you need to borrow a nightgown?" She asked. "Grace nodded, of course she needed to borrow a nightgown, did it look like she had one on her. -She instantly felt bad for thinking that, it wasn't Josephine's fault she was in such a bad mood. "I suppose you'll need something for tomorrow too, I'll see if Catalina will let you borrow something, they'll probably fit better than mine." Grace nodded again, she wasn't in the mood for a long conversation. Josephine disappeared, giving Grace a chance to look around. The room was similar to the other bedroom she had seen, although the bedding was a light cream rather than dark blue, making the room appear lighter. Josephine returned holding a white nightgown along with a silver brush and matching hand mirror which she gave to Grace before disappearing again. Grace got changed and climbed sulkily into bed. She wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and wake up back aboard the Nocturne and pretend the whole thing had just been a bad dream but she knew better than that. Instead she tried to stay awake thinking of how she was suppose to explain what she was doing here, along with everything she had ever learnt about history back at Crescent Moon Bay High School.


	8. The Morning After

_Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Here's the next chapter, isn't it amazing how you can write 1001 words without anything actually happening? ;)_

_I'd just like to randomly mention that I give alot of clues away in my writing, so if you figure out whats gonna happen, please try not to give it away!_

Grace awoke in a soft and comfortable bed; for a moment she thought herself back abroad the _Nocturne. _But when she got up she was still in the Furey's home, Grace wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed. Then realized she wasn't alone. The same maid she had seen the previous day was busy laying out a dress over a chair. She hummed to herself quietly, She jumped when she saw that Grace was awake, "I'm sorry, Miss, I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Sorry I scared you, Rosaline is it?"

"Yes ma'am"

It felt strange for Grace to be addressed this way. She wasn't sure what to say in return.

"Your breakfast is on the table, Mistress Furey wasn't sure whether you wished to eat alone or in company" Rosaline said gesturing to where the food was laid out on a silver tray."

"Thank you"

Rosaline disappeared out the doorway, leaving Grace alone. She glanced at a small clock on the mantelpiece, it was just past 7, she wondered if anyone else was awake. She ate her breakfast quickly before getting dressed. The dress was a silky white, it fit better than before, sullenly she wondered if it was one of Catalina's.

Grace couldn't resist going to explore the rest of the house, she followed the corridor that lead out from her room. She could here laughter from behind one of the doors, and a voice, Josephine's voice, though she couldn't make out what was being said. She opened the door suddenly nervous. Josephine and another girl were sitting at a small polished table, full of empty plates. Anna and a little boy were sitting on the floor playing together.

Josephine and the other girl rose to greet Grace, Josephine simply smiled and nodded, while the other girl preformed a delicate curtsey. "Anna don't you have something to say to Miss. Tempest?" Josephine asked. Grace held back a smile, Josephine seemed to act like the mothering figure to her younger siblings. Anna pouted her lips and stood up to curtsy, copying her older sister, though much less delicately with a- "Thank you for saving me" before sitting back down to play with her brother. Grace did smile this this time, Josephine caught her expression and rolled her eyes, grinning.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you"

Josephine, Grace, and the other girl Grace presumed was another one of Lorcan's sister sat back down at the table. "This is Clare" Josephine was gesturing to the girl "and that's Davin" to the boy, who couldn't have been more than 3 or 4, sitting on the floor. Davin was a mirror image of his bother, only much, much younger and also slightly rounder. Clare had grey eyes like Josephine's but her coal-black hair was curled in sausage-like ringlets unlike the rest of her sibling's straight hair. "I'm going to see if mother is awake yet." she told Josephine before disappearing. Grace and Josephine sat back down at the table in silence.

"Where's Catalina?" Grace asked eventually, not sure if she really wanted to know the answer.

"Asleep probably, I've never seen her awake before 10 or 11." She smiled softly to herself that was one less thing to worry about -for a while at least. "It's because she's always so unwell, I've been days without seeing her before." Grace felt glad at that - she'd be quite happy to go a few days - or for the rest of her life, for that matter - before seeing Catalina again. -Grace instantly felt bad for thinking so, the poor girl hadn't even done anything to her other than curtsey and ask a couple of polite questions, and Grace already hated her.

"Where is you brother now?"

She'd expected someone to ask something like that sooner or later; she already had her answer planned. "At sea, he's transporting goods, north of here"

"And he left you all on you own?"

Again Grace had expected that as well, and she'd read enough books to think of a creative enough answer. "I travelled by carriage for a while planning to meet up with my brother, but we were held up by a highway man who stole the carriage and horse and shot the driver."

Josephine let out a horrified gasp. Grace wondered if she even believed her. But apparently she did. "Poor, poor, girl. When will you see you brother again?"

Grace hadn't anticipated that but she remembered what Lorcan had said to her at what felt like a lifetime ago: '_I remember my time in Dublin and all that happened to me. I remember how it ended.'_

"I'm meeting my brother in Dublin"

"When?"

"I'm not sure, it depends on the whether I guess" Grace was glad she had attended Pirate Academy long enough to find out that you didn't make plans back in the 19th century when it came to travel. She felt slightly proud of herself this wasn't working on to bad except for a slight romance problem but she'd fine away around that, somehow.

Josephine smiled, "You can stay here as long as you want, well be happy to have you."

"Oh-no, I couldn't, I don't want to be a burden."

"Don't be silly, it would be insulting us if you didn't stay, my family will always be grateful for what you did."

Grace smiled uncertainly back, at least she didn't have to worry about finding a place to stay now but she couldn't help but remember the captains warning: '_It's important you stay out of the way as much as possible other wise you will have trouble judging what's real and what's not.' _She'd already broken that rule but what else could she do?


	9. Miss de Bánffy

_I'm sorry, I know I should have updated sooner but I've been busy lately. Thanks for the reviews. So here's the next chapter, you'll find out (a little) more about Catalina and the next chapter shall be about Lorcan so all is good. _

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Grace and Josephine sat outside on a small patio eating a light lunch, Grace hadn't seen Lorcan all morning and she couldn't help wondering what he was doing, but she didn't voice her queries aloud.

"Good Afternoon" A somewhat distinctive voice sounded from behind them making Grace jump. Josephine pulled out a chair from under the table were they were eating at. Catalina's bracelet clinked against a porcelain plate as she sat down between the them.

"Would you like anything to eat?" Josephine asked politely

"Oh, no thank you; I just finished breakfast a little while ago."

Catalina and Josephine exchanged a few more polite words, Grace didn't even bother listening; this kind of genteel talk bored her although she knew it had been a big part of upper-class life.

"And how are you this fine afternoon?" Catalina asked directing her question at Grace. It wasn't exactly a _fine _afternoon, Grace thought glancing at the grey and listless sky but she guessed that was beside the point, "I'm okay, thanks"

Everyone settled into an uncomfortable silence after that. Grace founder self unconsciously watching Catalina. The girl seemed much more uncomfortable than she had been the previous night, she sat upright in her chair but she fidgeted around nervously and her skin was flushed; Grace thought about her if she was feeling o.k. but she didn't want to break the silence that had descended on them. Then she realised it wasn't her skin that was red it was blush, in-fact Catalina's skin was extremely pale, she noticed that the rouge almost hid the small scars across her face; almost but not quite. Catalina smiled and touched the side of her face lightly, catching Grace's glance.

Grace blushed, was it so obvious she had been staring?

"Do you know where I got these from?"

Grace shook her head, suddenly curious.

"I'll tell you then shall I? When I was a little girl I lived in a beautiful castle in Mureş, I was still young when a nearby town was infected with measles it didn't take long for the disease to spread to the castle; almost everyone caught it, some survived, some didn't. My mother died then my father, I caught it too, there were no servants to look after me, those who hadn't died had fled and I was all alone, I thought I was going to die; but then Lucian, an old family friend came to the castle, he saved me and took me away from that accursed place and looked after me." She smiled sadly, "But it still left it's mark" She tapped her cheek lightly. Grace wasn't sure what to say, she loved to hear about peoples lives but she couldn't imagine how horrible it must have been, "I'm sorry about what happened."

"Don't be" Catalina said breezily, "It happened a long, long time ago. Good day Miss. Tempest, Miss. Furey." She said standing up and curtsying once again before heading back inside.

"So, what do you think of dear Miss de Bánffy?" Josephine asked.

Grace choose her reply carefully, "She's very interesting"

Josephine smiled, "Yes, she is. She's very generous as well, we probably wouldn't be living in this house if it wasn't for her."

"Lorcan must me very lucky to have her then" Grace said trying to sound casual. Josephine's smile faded, "Yes, I guess he is."  
"You don't think so then" she inquired attempting to keep her tone light, although she was desperate to know more.

"It's just…well…" she shook her head "It doesn't matter, it's nothing really."

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_Just so you know, even though not many people get measles now-a-days it was pretty deadly back then and very contagious. Reviews appreciated!_


	10. In the Garden

_Hmph, this is kinda a love-hate chapter for me. Nothing really interesting but it does show you two different sides to Lorcan, it took me long enough to write. Thanks for the reviews guys, I really appreciate it! The next couple of chapters will be really jumpy just so I can skip to the interesting bits._

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_The next day…_

Grace followed the well worn out path through the maze of enclosed gardens hidden behind the house. Josephine had offered to show her round but she'd declined. She needed time to think things through. She'd spent the rest of yesterday's afternoon with Josephine being shown round the house by and enthusiastic Anna. Dinner had passed much the same as the previous affair had. This had been the only time she'd seen Kyna or Lorcan at all that day, which apparently wasn't very unusual.

"Hello" said a familiar voice from behind her. Grace turned and smiled at Lorcan. "Hello"

"And how are you today, Miss Tempest?"

"I'm very well, Thank you, and how are you?"

He smiled, "I'm okay."

They continued walking side by side in silence down the dirt track and into yet another garden. This one was a lot smaller than the others, and the walls were covered in ivy and other creepers. Grace felt comforted, even though this Lorcan was a stranger to her, he was still Lorcan and it was nice just to near him.

"How is Catalina?" She wasn't sure why she asked, she didn't really even want to know, but somehow it felt necessary, maybe it would give her some clue to their relationship, though she highly doubted it.

"I don't know, I haven't seen her yet today. I've spent all morning in the stables."

"You have horses?"

He smiled, "Of course, do you ride?"

"Oh-no, but I do love them; there used to be some in a field near where I used to live."

"I'll show them to you tomorrow, if you wish. We could go riding too."

"But I don't know how"

"I'll show you"

Lorcan opened the door which led into the next enclosed garden, Grace wondered if she could remember how to get out again, it was like a labyrinth to her. He held it open for her before following as they continued their walk.

"So, are you enjoying your stay here?"

"Yes, it's very beautiful"

"Is it beautiful there too?"

"Where?"

"Where you come from"

"Oh; Yes, I guess it is."

Lorcan stopped walking and leaned against the wall which surrounded the yard they were in, Grace joined him. "What's it like?"  
"It's lovely, especially in winter, that's when it's warmest. And the sea turn's a beautiful turquoise. And the sunsets are breathtaking. And the storms, they were also my favourite…I use to love listening to the drum roll of thunder and the waves crashing against the shore and the lightning illuminating the sky at night."

Lorcan's eye's grew wider as she spoke, encouraging Grace to keep speaking.

"What else is there?" he asked eagerly. Grace continued to describe to him the landscape she had grown up in, specifically focussing on the lush garden's of Pirate Academy as she had always found that the most serene place.

"It sounds amazing," Lorcan said as she finished speaking, "Your lucky to be able to see such sights, I would give anything to be free and travel the world." The words made Grace shiver, though she wasn't exactly sure why. "But aren't you happy here?"

He sighed, "There no reason for me not to be, I've got a nice home, a loving family and a wonderful soon-to-be wife."

"But?"

"But…I know there's more out there then this, I want to see the world and everything in it."

"Then why don't you? What's stopping you from packing up your bags and simply leaving?"

He looked shocked at the suggestion, "Oh no, I could never do that to them. I care about my family too much, they need me and I need them." Grace knew how it felt to be torn between two things you love, when Connor had rescued her she had been overjoyed to see him again and wanted to be able to always stay by him but her heart belonged with Lorcan and she never wanted to be parted with him either.

He smiled and shock his head in exasperation , "Look at me, telling my deepest secrets to a complete stranger"

Grace wasn't sure what to say. But after a short pause he continued, "It's funny though, You seem like someone I can trust and talk to, and I know this is going to sound crazy, but I feel like I've known you my whole life."

Grace bit her lip, she wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. _Why? _Why on earth did he have to go and bring that up? She wondered what would happen if she told him the truth: _'Actually, your right. I have met you; in the future. And now your dying so I travelled back into your memories to find out what's wrong, Only to discover that your planning on getting married to someone else and nothing at all is going to plan.'_

"You think I'm mad don't you?"

"No I don't, I think your right."

"You seem sad…"

"Just thinking."

"Lorcan!" came an excited high-pitched voice from across the wall, a couple garden's away.

"Over here, Anna!"

A moment later Anna can bounding through doorway beaming, "You'll never guess what! Fally's having kittens! And Fiach says I can have one, since he'll have to drown them in the river if to many are born." she looked solemnly at them for a moment with big blue eyes, "I hope he doesn't drown them since one of village boys did that last year and it isn't very nice to drown." Lorcan glanced gratefully at Grace. Anna seemed to brighten up again, "Fiach says I can have which ever one I want and when I asked him what colour they were he said he doesn't know but he thinks that some of them will be brown and stripy like Fally, do you think they'll be any black ones?"

Lorcan laughed, "I have no idea" Grace smiled warmly, it was nice to here Anna's childish chatter, and it made Lorcan happy as well, she understood now why he didn't want to leave.

"I'm going to go pick so flowers for him, do you want to come with?" Anna asked taking both their hands and leading them out of the garden without waiting for an answer.

"Ok-ok, we'll come you don't have to drag us there" Lorcan said still laughing. Grace laughed to, "Where exactly are we going?"

Anna answered, "To the front of the house, all the best flower's are there."

Grace followed the two siblings through the maze of gardens, she had know idea how they managed to navigate through it all, from memory she supposed, though she wasn't completely sure. They ended up picking flowers from the side of the house rather than the front since Lorcan said Kyna probably wouldn't be very happy if they wrecked the front of the house. Anna seemed pretty happy to go along with that.

* * *

"You can't bring those in the house!" Anna said to Grace half an hour later. Both Lorcan's and Grace's arms were almost full as Anna let them carry all the flowers, she didn't mind though, there were worse ways to spend the afternoon than idly picking flowers on a sunny day with two light-hearted souls.

Grace looked guiltily down at the flowers she was holding, she hadn't meant to do anything wrong; in fact she wasn't even sure what she _had_done wrong. "You can't bring lilacs in the house, it's bad luck, everyone knows that." Anna picked all the small purple flowers out from Grace's bouquet. "My goodness Grace, You should know that! Think what kind of example your setting to my little sister!" Lorcan said grinning cheekily. "Ha! Very funny" she said sarcastically.

"Come on, Anna I think we've got enough flowers to fill a carriage and I think Miss. Tempest is getting sick of us already, and she hasn't even been here a week yet."

"Your not, are you?" Anna asked looking sadly up at Grace, "Of course not!" she said soothingly, "Lorcan likes to pretend he knows everything about everyone in the whole wide world." Anna giggled and Lorcan sighed, "I think we'd best be getting back to the house unless your planning on missing dinner."


	11. Riding Lessons

_ARGH! I liked this chapter in the beginning but now I hate it. I focused way to much on the actual 'how to ride a horse' bits. Ah-well, this chapter's only supposed to set the scene for the next. Sorry I haven't updated lately, I've been on Vacation for the last few weeks. So hopefully I should have some more chapter's done soon, though I'm not promising anything. Thank you everyone for the Reviews and Favourites! _

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The pale morning sun shone down drying off the dirt floor outside the stables where Grace waited patiently for Lorcan to appear; she wondered for a moment, if he'd found something better to do than spend time with her. She sighed and took another breathe, inhaling the deep scent of the country air around her: The far off smell of the sea and wet grass in the meadows blown closer by the wind and nearer smells such as freshly cut hay and something baking in the cookhouse near by.

She heard the crunch of heavy footfalls across the gravel as Lorcan approached, "I was beginning to think you weren't coming." she called out, smiling. Lorcan walked casually the last few meters before he joined her near the stable door and answered, "A gentleman always keeps his promises Miss. Tempest"

They entered the stables together. Grace watched thoughtfully as Lorcan picked up one of the bridles and began adjusting the straps, she would have offered to help but she wouldn't have known where to begin, she didn't have the vaguest idea how to ride a horse. Her eyes differed from the bridle to Lorcan himself as he worked. He looked rather dashing in his riding jacket, boots and hat she wondered briefly why he preferred to where a seafarer's outfit rather than clothes from his own period of time, like some of the other vampires; and what had made him change. Though of course it might have been because they didn't exactly look like the most comfortable thing to wear and if it had been anyone else Grace would have thought it looked ridiculous…though of course he managed to pull it off perfectly… Lorcan caught her eye and she looked down at the ground blushing, _how could she be having these thoughts about her best friend? A best friend which was, in-fact, about to be _married_. A best friend who didn't even _tell _her he was getting married. Just don't think about it, Grace. _

"Are you coming with or are you just going to stand there all day?" Lorcan asked all ready leading two horses outside. Grace jumped, she been to caught up in her thoughts to notice he had finished the task at hand. She followed him out the door and into a small padlocked area and tied both horses reins to a fence post. "This is Líle" he said, resting one hand a dark brown mare, "The most important thing you need to remember is how to stop" he continued, "Just pull the reins towards you gently and stiffen your back. Got that?"

"I think so" Grace said, suddenly nervous. "Good. So when I lift you up, you put your leg in front, over the horn and your left foot in the stirrup."

"Wait; what?"

"Ok, try it this way. Just sit like you normally would."

"What was that part about being lifted up?"

Lorcan grinned, "How were you planning on getting on the horse?"

"I don't know! The same way as a camel I guess."

He laughed, "Shall I go find one of my sisters to show you how?"

"You know what; I think I'll be okay"

"Right, So…Put your hand on my shoulder and your left foot in the stirrup -that's this- and try and climb us" he gestured to a ring hanging down from the saddle as he spoke.

Grace did as she was told, leaning on him for support. This was the closest physical contact she'd had with Lorcan since she'd gotten here, and she expected it to be more awkward, but it wasn't, probably because she was more worried out falling off the horse then anything else at the moment. As she moved her weight from Lorcan to the mare, she felt the horse take a small step away from her, and nearly fell back down again.

Lorcan chuckled looking up at her; making Grace's heart flutter, at it always did. "You look terrified"

"I told you I've never ridden before"

"I know, but your supposed to enjoy yourself, not look like your scared out of your wits." He paused for a moment, "Ok, so now try and move your right leg in front and turn so your facing forwards." He helped her adjust until she was sitting as he had said, "Now, try and move all your weight to your foot and to your knee. - Good " He untied the reins from the post and handed them to her. "Hold the reins like this," he said holding her own hands in his.

"I think your ready to actually star riding now." Lorcan said half an hour later. . Grace groaned, "Can't we just quit now, while we're ahead?" He laughed and climbed onto the other horse in a few seconds flat, making it look easy. "We'll, start off with a walk, tap the horse's flanks with your foot to get it to move…"

Another twenty minuets later and Grace was feeling sore all over. They'd moved to a near by field so their was more room for both of them. It hadn't taken long to get use to the swaying motion of a horse walking but then they had switched to a trot. She could feel herself already beginning to slip off the saddle again. She wondered if it would have been easier to sit astride, as Lorcan did, rather than side saddle. "Ready to try cantering?"

"No,"

He shook his head in amusement, "A canter's no where near as bad as a trot"

"I'm not going any faster than this,"

Grace was amazed at how patient a teacher Lorcan was; sports -any sports- weren't really her thing, and she knew she'd probably annoyed at least a few gym teachers in her time. But she knew he wasn't the least bit put off by her lack of enthusiasm.

"Ready, to go back then?" Grace nodded "I'll race you ." At that Lorcan set off at a full gallop, She could feel Líle, her horse, start to pick up the pace too, but she remembered what Lorcan said and pulled on the reins. After a minute he joined her again, "Not quite ready for galloping then, Grace?" She shook her head in exasperation, "Show-off"


	12. Servant Talk

_I quite like this chapter…it was originally longer but the bit I cut out didn't seem to fit in with this chapter so I'll save it for another day. I'm glad people liked the last chapter but I'm hoping this one will be better anyway…So review and let me know what you think…_

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"I'll see you at dinner then," he said. Grace smiled, "Thanks again, for managing to put up with me"

"It was my pleasure." They parted, each heading in separate directions, Lorcan back to the house and Grace to see if she could go salvage something from the cookhouse, not having eaten all day.

It was dark and smoky in the cookhouse, making it hard for Grace to see as she opened the door, after a minute her eyes adjusted to the gloom and she was able to see through the haze. Josephine was sitting at a small wooden table in the centre of the room finishing off a loaf of bread and honey. She smiled warmly at Grace to greet her as she stepped inside. The old woman Grace had met when she first arrived was their too, busily stirring a large pot, which smelled delicious, over an open fire. "How did the riding lessons go?" Josephine asked as Grace slid down into a chair next to her. "Never again" Grace muttered. Josephine laughed, "Is Lorcan really that bad of a teacher?"

"No, I've just decided that horse riding isn't the hobby for me"

"-Damn it!" The woman swore holding up a burnt thumb. "Where has that girl gotten to?" she mumbled to herself followed by a loud screech of, "ROSALINE!

"Every time I needs her she goes off runnin' somewhere else, useless chit of a girl."

Josephine didn't seem _too _alarmed at the cooks odd ramblings, but Grace was. Instinctively she stood up to help the woman looking for a wet cloth and placed it on the burn. She saw Rosaline appear in the doorway, looking nervous, although the cook didn't seem to notice, "Why thank you, Missus, very kind of you. Not like some people I know around here. What a lovely bride you'll be to Mister Furey and I kind little Madam of the house. Not like that Romanian girl, I never liked her, but she's gone now and you're here instead. She was always useless that one, just like that poor excuse for an assistant I have, where is she anyway?"

"Right here, Ma'am"

Grace felt the colour drain out of her cheeks, behind her she could here Josephine struggling to swallow a large chunk of bread she bitten off. _Bride? _Grace felt faint as she sat back down again. Josephine saw her expression and tried to comfort her, "She didn't mean it, honestly. She just gets a little bit confused between us, that's all."

Grace wasn't even sure why she was so upset, she could see it was an honest mistake, but that didn't stop the tears from welling up in her eyes, _but maybe that was it; maybe she didn't want it to be a mistake, maybe she wanted it to be true. _

The cook took one look at Grace's expression and placed a steaming bowel of stew that had been cooking over the fire, on the table ion front of her. Before returning back to preparing tonight's dinner. Rosaline watched wide-eyed and silent.

"Please, Don't be upset,"

Grace tried to smile, for Josephine's sake, "I'm not upset, just a little bit homesick, I guess it just kind of caught up with me now."

She looked relived. "Goodness…Imagine if you really were marring my brother." she chuckled. Grace chocked back another sob, she knew Josephine was only trying to cheer her up but it wasn't helping at all. Josephine caught her expression, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like that…I just meant that…"

"-No, it's okay. You don't need to apologise,"

Josephine stood up, hesitating a moment before speaking, "If there's anything you want to tell me - anything at all - you can. You can trust me you know."

"Thanks"

"I should go now, I'm suppose to be looking after Davin" she walked to the door, looking back over her shoulder once, before disappearing into the bright sunlight outside.

The cook was shaking her head, "Just like her mother that one. Sixteen with not one suitor, filling her head with silly books," she sighed, "Never seen the use in books myself, pointless things, tell me, how does a book get the washing done or cook up a nice dinner? Just words on paper, and peoples still say they're the greatest joy in life."

Grace smiled, a real smile this time, as the cook talked to herself.

"Don't just stand there!" Grace jumped as the woman's chatter suddenly became a shout, "Go make yourself useful while I get some more potatoes from the garden" it took Grace a moment to realise her being shouted at. The cook disappeared and Rosaline set off to work. Grace took a chance, "Rosaline?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Do you know why the cook doesn't like Catalina?"

Rosaline glanced quickly round the room before speaking, "_Lady_ Catalina thinks Ms. Dubh shouldn't work here anymore."

"Why not?"

She shrugged he shoulders, "She's to old. She's going mad. What other reason does she need?"

"There's something else to"

"_She_ thinks Ms. Dubh act above her status, but if you ask me it's _her _acting above _her _place." Grace was surprised to here so much emotion in the girl's voice, if anything she thought Rosaline would have been angry with the cook, after Grace had heard her shouted at, but it seemed she had been mistaken, but she still had something else to clarify, "What do you mean she acts 'above her place'?"

"She treats them like children. Oh, she may act all nice and polite, but you can tell she thinks she's better than them. She walks round like she owns the place, and the Mistress of the house just lets her and Lord Furey wouldn't have a word said against her"

Grace was still confused; she could hear Rosaline's voice crackling with anger but why did it matter so much to her anyway? "You think she should leave?"

"She shouldn't have come here in the first place" Rosaline said defensively

"But what difference does it make to you?"

"_What difference? _As soon as she marries Lord Furey, as soon as she becomes Mistress of this house I'll lose my job and my home and everything else too"

"But why?"

"Because that's what she'll want, and what she wants is what she gets. Because she's a spoiled wh…" Grace watched Rosaline's face go pale briefly she wondered if someone was standing behind her, like in some old horror film and had heard everything they had said. Then she realised _she_ was the one being stared at. "What's wrong?"

Rosaline looked scared, "Oh, please don't tell them what I said Miss, I'll lose my job for sure. I didn't mean it! I was speaking nonsense, none of it's true…"

Rosaline must have thought Grace was planning on telling Catalina or someone else what she had said. She could understand why Rosaline suddenly became so anxious but she was desperate to hear more and this might be her only chance to learn more about Catalina de Bánffy. "Tell me, please…I'm not going to tell anyone else, but I need to know…"

"It's nothing, nothing at all"

"Please, tell me…"

Rosaline's voice was only a whisper but Grace heard it as loud and as clear as anything;

"_She isn't right…"_

It was at that moment the cook, Ms. Dubh, decided to return to them. At once Rosaline scuttled back to her preparation of the food, pretending nothing had happened. Grace burned to ask more question, but she didn't dare, she didn't want anyone else to hear about her strange obsessions.

'_She isn't right…' _- Grace wasn't sure what she expected to hear but it certainly hadn't been that. It didn't even make any sense, did it?

'_She isn't right…' _Grace couldn't get her mind round those three words. It had to mean something, but what? Her mind thought furiously but to no avail, and for once Grace Tempest had no idea what to even think.


	13. Unlucky for Some

_I'm really not happy about this chapter but it was going to be hard to write whatever way I did it. So sorry for the lack of updates. And thank you so much for the reviews! I do like the title of this chapter since it's #13 and I wrote it on the 13th plus the title kinda fits anyway…_

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Grace, Catalina, Kyna, Lorcan and Josephine sat round the dinning table eating another fine supper while Rosaline served them, making Grace feel guilty every time she though about it. The table was silent for the most part, save for the occasional spurts of conversation which quickly died away. Grace couldn't help but stare at Catalina and Lorcan who were gazing lovingly into each others eyes; it made her feel sick, yet she didn't look away either. The words from earlier were still engraved in the forefront of her mind, she didn't know what they meant but she still found herself silently agreeing with them, because something must have been wrong otherwise she wouldn't have come here.

She turned away from the happy couple and caught Josephine's eyes, which watched her carefully, the girl had a strange expression on her face before turning away, her mouth drawn into a frown. Grace felt uneasy in the silence, she wanted to say something, _anything_, to break it, to get away from her own thought but she couldn't find the right words eventually it was Kyna who spoke,

"Perhaps you should go to the beach tomorrow, if it doesn't rain?"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea" Catalina sad smiling graciously.

Josephine began to speak, "I suppose we could although-"

At that moment the door burst open. "Lord Furey, Lord Furey!" Grace jumped as a boy, probably a few years younger than her, came running in, at top speed.

"Lord Furey! Their's been another murder!" The boy was panting and his red hair was plastered to his face with beads of sweat. It took Grace a moment to poses what he'd said.

Lorcan stood up instantly, looking worried, "Sit down, Lorcan" Kyna whispered to him.

"But…"

"Their's nothing you can do to help,"

Unhappily he sat back down again.

Grace's curiosity was growing my the second, until she couldn't help herself any longer; "What happened"

"Mr. Ó Brogain was murdered!" The boy answered eager to please, "They only just found him in the marshes after he went missing weeks and weeks ago and when the got the body out it was all covered in mud and worms and maggots and things,"

She heard Rosaline gasp behind her.

"And one of the eyes had rotted out and they said you could see the inside of his head-"

"That's enough, Fiach" Kyna said sternly

"And his brains were-"

"Fiach!" Rosaline hissed, and for the first time Grace noticed how similar they looked. She also noticed how Josephine had turned and unpleasant shade of green.

"But…" he continued desperate to finish his story, as Rosaline half-led, dragged him out of the room.

"I think I'll go lie down" Josephine said after a few moments pause still looking slightly ill as she disappeared following Rosaline and Fiach's footsteps.

The rest of the diners sat in silence, for what felt like years. Once again Grace couldn't help herself as her curiosity got the better of her, "The boy, Fiach, he said 'Their's been _another_ murder' does that mean their was more than one?" she asked, directing her question at Lorcan.

"Yes," he answered looking down at his plate, "About once a month they find someone else, stuffed someplace odd, dead as a doornail"

"Really Lorcan, must we talk about this at the dinner table?" Catalina asked sweetly.

"Your quite right, I'd forgotten we hadn't finished all the courses yet"

She laughed, "Surely you still don't want to eat after that vivid description"

Once again Grace felt sick to her stomach, and not because of the news of the murder. Catalina's voice was sickly-sweet and cloyed her mind with it's presence.

"No, of course not, your right, as always"

It annoyed her too that Lorcan agreed with every word she said, she remembered what Rosaline had confessed earlier that _'Lord Furey wouldn't have a word said against her' _and she found herself utterly agreeing with the young woman's words.

"I do agree with Ms. Kyna that it would be a lovely idea to go down to the beech tomorrow" she said toying with a loose curl that hung down from the mass of blonde locks piled upon her head.

"Is that such a good idea after this latest murder…" Kyna said interrupting the private conversation.

"Mother's right, I would never risk you getting hurt"

Grace smiled despite herself, well that Lorcan was still the same.

"Oh, please Lorcan, I'm sure your sisters and Davin would love the chance to go walk along the shore and Grace here probably would to, would you Grace?"

"Umm…I guess so-" Grace answered, slightly suppressed Catalina had mentioned her, the older girl hadn't spoken to her much other than the time she had told Grace about her childhood.

"See, it would be a lovely outing"

"Well I suppose we could…" Lorcan said despite the obvious glances of disaprovel he was getting from Kyna. "Thank you," she said leaning over and kissing Lorcan lightly on the cheek.

Grace felt the jealousy flare up inside, "I think I ought to go see how Josephine's feeling" she said quickly, standing up simultaneously, looking for any excuse to leave the room and it's two lover's behind.


	14. The Chapter Without a Name

_I'm sorry this is a terrible chapter but it wasn't going anywhere so I decide to just stop and post it as it is and write the next chapter a lot better. Thanks for the reviews and sorry it's taken so long to update the next chapter should be out sooner than this one was._

* * *

"Are we there yet?" -It was the classic phrase to use when travelling, guaranteed to drive even the most patient of people into madness if asked enough times.

"Almost" Kyna answered Anna as tolerantly as she could manage. Anna sighed once again, Grace felt her own feelings of frustration expressed in that sigh as well, Being cooped up in a small, crowded carriage wasn't her idea of fun either.

When Grace was younger she would sometimes dream of what it would be like to be a regal woman from long ago, after all what 5 year old girl didn't? But now she knew the truth of it; she felt it with every bump in the road and the uncomfortable dress she was wearing and the feeling of being crushed in the overcrowded coach. Life of the rich and privileged was so overrated.

Grace sat wedged between the carriage door and Clare who had been squished in the middle of her and Josephine. Opposite them were Catalina, Anna and Kyna. It was a tight squeeze but they managed it. Grace was just grateful she was sitting near the open window where she didn't have to breathe in the warm, stuffy air in the carriage. Through the widow she could hear Lorcan and Fiach were talking about the man who had been murdered while driving the carriage. Grace wasn't even surprised when she learnt that Lorcan was able to drive this dreadful contraption, he hadn't told her a lot of things, what was one more?

"You look like you just swallowed a bottle of vinegar, Grace." Josephine said looking at her. She said it kindly enough but Grace was sure she could here a bit of curiosity and distrust in their as well, although it might have just been paranoia. "I'm fine, I guess I just miss home, that's all." Kyna ran her hands through her younger son's long black hair, who was sitting on her lap, "Don't worry, dear, I'm sure your brother will arrive in Dublin and send word for you to come and join him as soon as he get's there. Grace smiled, pretending to be reassured.

"How much longer until we get their?" Anna asked once again, "I don't like it in here, it's to stuffy"

"Oh, do be quite, child!" Catalina snapped exasperated.

Anna looked taken aback for a moment before folding her arms crossly while pouting her lip, an exact copy of her sister-in-law-to-be. Clare stifled a giggle and Grace couldn't help buy laugh out loud, earning her a glare from Catalina.

"Try to behave, Anna, We're almost there now." Kyna sighed. Grace instantly felt guilty, she felt bad for Kyna; a widowed mother looking after 5 children who had still taken her in. She could tell Kyna wasn't even happy to be going on this trip.

The coach came to a sudden halt and a few seconds the door was swung open to revel a grinning Lorcan. He reached out a hand to help out Catalina first, and then Grace. She couldn't help but smile as he clasped her hand and helped her down, followed by his family. Fiach scrambled on top of the roof of the carriage and un-strapped a two large hampers of food, blankets, parasols, hats, fans, coats and whatever else seemed necessary for a trip to the beech in the 19th century. Grace's first reaction was to tell him to get down or at least be careful.

"It's a lovely day for the beech," Catalina commented all the bitterness from her voice gone as she directed the remark at Lorcan, who agreed with her instantly.

Grace glanced up at the grey, overcast sky; it was hardly what she'd call a 'lovely day' although, luckily, it wasn't raining. "Come on, children" Kyna said with a sign, heading towards the beech followed by Anna, Catalina, Clare and Josephine who had decided to look after Davin for her mother. "Lord Furey" Fiach said scrambling down from the coach, "May I speak with you?" Lorcan smiled, "Of course"

"I just wanted to make sure if it's okay for Anna to have one of the kittens"

"Yes, it's fine, It was very kind of you to give her one."

"I have to get rid of them one way or another" he sad shrugging, "I don't suppose your Clare would want one? Or maybe Miss. Grace?" Fiach said glancing at her. Grace found herself blushing as the two boys looked at her, while everyone else had gone on without him, she had decided to wait for Lorcan. "Oh, no I couldn't…"

Fiach looked slightly sad for a moment reminding Grace of his age, she had forgotten how young he was when he talked so seriously, unlike he had the previous evening, "I'm not allowed to keep any, they're much better off with you than they are at the bottom of the river."

"I couldn't, I…" Grace glanced at Lorcan, for help who shrugged "Well, I suppose..." Grace said uncertainly. Fiach broke into a wide grin. Lorcan ruffled his hair affectionately, "Good work, with the horses by the way,"

Fiach's grin grew wider, "My Lord…My Lady.." he said bowing in mockery before heading back towards the coach.

"Shall we join the others Miss. Tempest" Lorcan said holding out his arm to escort her.


	15. Cuts, Collapses & Corpses

_YAY! VAMPIRATES NOW HAS ITS OWN CATEGORY! Thank you for the reviews and I'm very sorry for the lack of updates but I won't go on about it; Far better just to let you read the chapter without further ado …_

* * *

Grace watched as Anna ran off ahead of the rest of the group, followed by Davin who toddled after her. Both eager to reach the sea as soon as possible, Kyna having given up trying to get them to act remotely civilised. Clare walked gracefully, acting much more mature than Grace knew she had acted as an eleven year old. She wore a white, floral bonnet an carried a parasol; an exact copy of Catalina. It was easy to see she was uncomfortable to be strolling at such a dawdling pace when her siblings were ahead shouting and laughing. -Grace knew the exact feeling, she hated to admit it but she was starting to find this time period slightly boring. Eventually it seemed Clare could stand it no longer and chased after her younger siblings. Grace picked up her skirts and ran following Clare. _How wonderful it felt to be active again. _Suddenly she lost her footing and she went sprawling across the sand. It was worth falling over just to see the expressions on everyone's face. Grace giggled. Lorcan, still trying to behave like a gentleman, ran to where she'd fallen to make sure she wasn't hurt, he looked shocked to find her laughing. That only made Grace laugh harder, he obviously thought she was insane. He offered her a hand so she could get up only to be dragged down with Grace as she lost her footing once again. Her breath caught in her throat as she met Lorcan's bright blue eyes, currently open wide in surprise matching his lips set in a shocked 'O' shape, only millimetres away from her own.

"That's was clumsy of us…" Lorcan said, struggling to regain his senses. The laugher left her voice, "I suppose it was…". Grace felt her stomach churn with embarrassment, she had never felt more awkward in her life. "Lorcan Furey!" She glanced upwards at the sound of Catalina's strange yet familiar accented voice. She looked as if she would like to slap the pair of them on the spot. A few steps away she could make out Kyna's disproving features and Josephine bemused expression.

"Are you hurt?" Lorcan said standing up, before offering her another hand up, luckily she didn't slip this time. Once stood up, the gravity of the situation dawned on her and she felt her checks redden in embarrassment. She looked down at the ground almost hopping it would swallow her up, "I'm, sorry, I don't know what came over me…"

"It's quite alright dear" Kyna said kindly, "After five children you get quite used to these kind of mishaps. Now we best see where my youngest three have got off to"….

* * *

"Mother? Can we go home yet?" Clare asked a couple of hours later, "I hurt my ankle"

"In a few minutes" Kyna said looking exhausted. Grace remembered how Lorcan had said she hardly ever left the house, today would have put a lot of strain on her.

"Can't we stay here for a little fit longer…please…" Anna asked looking at her mother with wide puppy-dog eyes.

"It seems a shame to leave now that the sun's just come out" Josephine added, carrying a sleeping Davin in her arms.

"Well, I for one, am ready to leave" Catalina said already strolling back to where the carriage awaited. Clare followed her. Kyna sighed.

"I don't want to ride in the coach, there's to many people" Anna whinged.

"Why don't some of us walk home?" Grace suggested. Truthfully she wasn't looking forward to leaving either. Kyna didn't look very happy at the idea.

"That's a wonderful idea, Grace," Lorcan said, "Don't you think so too, Mother?" Kyna frowned at her oldest son, "You know how I feel about this, with all the villagers disappearing."

"We'll be fine, Mother." Josephine said, siding with Lorcan, "I'll keep an eye on Anna, and Lorcan can be are escort and you'll be safe with Fiach"

"And what about last time, you were supposed to be looking after Anna?" Josephine looked down at the ground in embarrassment and didn't argue her point any further. Anna, however, decided to continue, "Grace will look after us, won't you Grace?" she asked sweetly. "Well, I suppose…" Grace answered uncertainly, she would much rather walk home but at the same time she didn't want to go against Kyna, especially since it was at Kyna's invitation that she was staying. "-Good it's settled then" Lorcan cut in. Kyna was still frowning, "Just be careful" she said, turning back towards the coach.

Rather than follow the river the way Grace had when she had met Josephine, they followed a long, twisted dirt road before deciding to talk a shortcut through a large overgrown field. Grace wasn't the most active of person alive and she almost regretted walking, _almost_. But the thought of having to sit with Catalina's gaze boring through her was enough to stop her complaining. Lorcan held Anna's hand as she laughed at a joke he had just told. Grace couldn't help but watch him out of the corner of her eye, this Lorcan was strange to her but that didn't mean she didn't like the new, or rather _old_, him too. It was clear he cared for his family deeply.

Her mind wandered away from the present and she briefly wondered why Lorcan never mentioned his brother or sisters or the fact that he mad been planning on getting married. Maybe it was an arranged marriage, Grace thought hopefully, that happened all the time back in the 19th century, so often in fact that he had never cared enough to bother mentioning it. But she'd seen the way he looked at his fiancée, the way he spoke to her, in her heart she knew he loved her. Maybe it was her he'd never cared about. What other explanation was there? He couldn't be bothered to tell her, his best friend, he was engaged…

_Don't think about it Grace. -To late._ She felt the tears begin to build up in her eyes, angrily she brushed them away.

"Are you okay?" Josephine asked worriedly in an undertone voice

"I'm fine"

"You can tell me you know"

"It's nothing, really" _Nothing, nothing, nothing…_how many times had she said the words? If it had been nothing she wouldn't have felt the way she did earlier. If it had been nothing she wouldn't even have been here in the first place.

"Oh, do leave the poor girl be," Lorcan teased, "It's no wonder she doesn't want to talk when you keep bantering on about it."

"Humph, What do you know about feelings and things?"

"I know enough to have a beautiful heiress in love with me…"

"Very funny," Josephine said shaking her head and stalking ahead of the group. Grace could see she was smiling, amused, though.

"Ouch!" Grace gasped as she felt a small but sharp pain in her foot. She glanced down at the ground and noticed she had stepped on a piece of glass, from a broken bottle which she hadn't been able to see through the long grass. "Are you okay?" Lorcan said passing in his stride for a moment and Josephine yep on walking. "I think so," Luckily she had been wearing shoes. She pulled off her left shoe, the sole of her foot was grazed but not bleeding, "Today's not really your day is it?" Lorcan said after seeing she wasn't badly hurt. "I guess not"

They both jumped as a high pitched scream reached their ears. Grace had heard that scream only once before.

* * *

"Josephine? Josephine! Are you okay?" Lorcan said running to where Josephine stood, Anna by her side, frozen to the ground in shock, "Oh, God"

Grace ran after him as quickly as she could. "What's happened?"

"Don't…!"

Grace froze as she caught sight of a young mans body lying cold and lifeless, dressed in ripped clothing, hidden among the tall stalks of grass. His skin was to pale to be that of anyone alive.

Grace bent over, trying to keep the bile from rising up in her throat as she reached out a hand to touch his stiff, wax-like arm. There was no doubt he was dead.

"Grace?" Grace twisted her head round as Josephine said her name. She could tell that the older girl was terrified, "Let's go, Grace!"

"Just, give me a minute"

The corpse appeared to be that of a man in his early twenties, his hair was an ash brown but his eyes were closed preventing Grace form seeing their colour. His closed eyes also suggested that he died slowly and peacefully but the broken bottle and ripped shirt suggested otherwise.

"Grace!" It was Lorcan who spoke this time, he took Josephine's hand, who was still frozen to the spot and dragged her away from the corpse. Anna followed, a appalled expression on her face, and took Lorcan's other hand.

Grace turned back to the corpse and lifted the tattered clothe around his collar bone revealing two small puncture wounds on his chest.

"Grace, I think we should go now." Lorcan said. She tore her eyes away from what she knew was the key to uncovering Lorcan's past.

"Grace, please…" Josephine's voice sounded hollow and distant.

"It's okay, I'm coming" Grace stood up and walked towards them, but couldn't resist casting one last glance over her shoulder as they hurried on home; at the man who had been murdered by a vampire.


	16. The after effect

_Thanks so much for the reviews, I was planning on replying to them all but then I thought why not just hurry up and write the next chapter instead…so well hear it is. Just so you know a lot of these chapters will start getting very jumpy with bigger gaps of time in between them. I think it worked out that there will be *roughly* 25 chapters. __This one's kind of a filler but the one after it has a little bit of flirting…_

_Vampirates and all related characters © Justin Somper_

* * *

It had only been one week since they had discovered the latest body in a string of brutal murders yet it hadn't affected any of the Furey's (or anyone else in the house) in the slightest; all except Grace.

The image of the two puncture wounds embedded deeply into that pale white skin haunted her waking thoughts. And as day turned to night, and she slept the image of the stranger's corpse faded and instead she saw those same to fang marks on someone she loved. Grace had always assumed Lorcan had been murdered in Dublin from what he'd said to her long before, _"I __remember my time in Dublin and all that happened to me. I remember how it ended". _Of course that didn't mean he'd died there maybe she had just interpreted it the wrong way.

"Grace?" It was Lorcan's voice dragging her out of her thoughts even now, but it wasn't really Lorcan was it? It was just a memory, just a shadow, did it really matter?

"Grace?" Almost reluctantly Grace left her dark thoughts behind, she was sick of this world, sick of watching Lorcan spend time with the woman he loved, every time she set eyes on them it was like someone twisting a knife in her chest. "Yes?"

"I was just making sure you're feeling okay,"

"Okay then" Grace said not paying any attention, she remembered what else he had said back on the ship: _"I've been to terrible places, place of darkness such as I hope you'll never see."_ She couldn't help but wonder what had happened that horrified him so. She was almost afraid to find out…

"Grace?" Lorcan said with a sigh, "You're not listening are you?"

"Do you think we should have Ms. Dubh mix up a sleeping draught? I don't think she's been sleeping very well" Josephine asked her older brother, her voice filled with concern.

"Perhaps she's feverish," Catalina suggested. Reaching across the table and laying an icy hand across Grace's brow. Grace jumped and pulled away, shocked from the coolness of her touch which brought her back into reality.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't really listening,"

"It's fine. We kind of figured that out anyway." Lorcan said, always the optimist. Did he know he would die soon? He was only seventeen, he should have had his whole life ahead of him.

"Do you want to go lie down?" Josephine asked kindly.

"No, I'm fine now, really" Grace said attempting, and failing, to reassure the three young faces peering disbelievingly at her as they sat round the garden patio underneath a large sun-umbrella outside.

Lorcan was the first to express his doubts, "Grace, your obviously-"

"Lorcan, if she says she's fine, then she's fine" Catalina said taking Lorcan's hand. Grace felt disgusted as he believed every last thing his wife told him to, Grace noticed Josephine looked unhappy about it too, until she noticed it was herself, who Josephine was looking at. Had she just missed something important?

"Lorcan! Josephine!" a familiar childish voice rang out across the courtyard, "Come look at Floydy" Anna appeared from one of the many doors leading into the maze, carrying her a young kitten in her arms, "We've only seen him about a hundred times already" He laughed, as Anna took a seat between him and Catalina who glowered as she did so. "You can stroke him if you like," Anna offered to the group sitting around the table. Catalina folded her arms tightly across her chest, "Will you please remove that filthy creature from here!" The younger girl looked hurt, Grace instantly felt sorry as she watched the tears well up in Anna's eyes.

"It's okay, Anna, why don't you go show Clare your kitten?" Josephine, always the mother, suggested quickly, trying to keep the young girl from crying. Silently she picked up 'Floydy' and walked away in a much less jubilant mood.

Catalina sighed in irritation a minute later, "I think I'll head back inside. All this sun is giving me a headache"

Grace, filled with annoyance, watched her go. She couldn't help but wonder if Lorcan noticed how spiteful Catalina could be. Maybe he simply didn't care.

"I should go make sure Anna isn't doing anything silly" Josephine sighed breaking the silence that had been left after Catalina had vanished and looking slightly fed up as she got up from the table and disappeared into the house.

Grace and Lorcan sat in silence for a few more minuets, eventually she could take it no longer, "You really love her don't you?" Grace wasn't sure what made her say it but as soon as the words left her month she felt horror wash over her as she waited for Lorcan to sat the words she dreaded.

"Who?"

"Catalina,"

"With all my heart,"

Grace nodded, she could see the truth in his eyes and it made her own heart cry out in pain. How could he ever love her when he had loved this perfect angel instead?


	17. Kyna

I never actually meant for this chapter to be like this so I've had to move the Grace/Lorcan fluff to the next chapter, Kyna decided she wanted a bigger part than what I'd planed for her (which will hopefully be a surprise) And I know this isn't making much sense but I'm in a hurry so I can go write the next chapter. There WILL be a new chapter by the end of the weekend, Promise. I'm sorry I don't have time to reply to all your reviews but I don appreciate them. Thank you for the support. And Just so you know I plan to finish Follow Your Heart after I finish this. New Sydney I'm not so sure about because Breaking Dawn stole my idea (no not _that _idea -a different idea, it's slightly complicated, don't ask). I also have a few ideas for a couple shorter stories which I may or may not write depending when or if I have time.

* * *

Grace felt miserable for the next couple of days but her newfound cheer came from where she least expected it. Soon Grace began spending more time with two the youngest Furey's .

"Oh, Grace, look how silly he is; Bad Floydy!" Anna giggled as the kitten pounced on a spider unlucky enough to be crawling along the floor. Grace shook her head in amusement. Her own kitten which Fiach had given her, despite her objections, was currently curled up in Davin's lap who stroked it carefully with childlike emphasis. Their innocence made Grace feel like something was still right in this world, contrary to what had been happening in the past week.

There was a quiet knock on the door before the door opened a crack and a mass of black hair popped round the corner of the door, "Anyone home?" Kyna said the laughter evict in her voice, "I'm surprised you lot aren't outside enjoying the sunshine; the one day it doesn't actually rain and you're all inside"

Grace smiled, "I'm just following these two around" She guessed this was what the Furey manor would have like before the Lord, Kyna's husband, had died. She wondered what had put Kyna in such a good mood, because although she was dressed all in black Kyna's cheerful mood was infectious, so much like her eldest son.

"I know, it's so thoughtful of you to send so much time looking after them, I'm surprised they haven't driven you mad yet"

She laughed along with Kyna, "Not yet, but it's the least I can do for all the kindness you and your family have show me"

Kyna grew instantly serious, "Don't think you need to repay us, Grace, you are young and shouldn't bother with such things, go out with the others and enjoy yourself while you still can. And just remember, don't ever lock yourself away from others and never forget your purpose."

She looked terribly sad as she said it. It made Grace feel a mixture of sorrow and guilt, did Kyna know more than Grace had given her credit for, because that was exactly was Grace was doing, locking herself away from all her friends. She glanced at the older woman's black attire, _lock yourself away_, was that what Kyna had done? Hidden away from the world when or husband died. Was that why Grace hardly ever saw her around the house or was Grace just imagining things now, it was so hard to tell the difference between real and imaginary.

"I best take Davin off your hands, he hasn't had his nap yet" Kyna cheery charade returning, but the sadness lingered in her eyes and Grace could see beyond the sunny facade.

She picked Davin off the floor and left Grace to her thoughts,

"Grace?" Anna asked quietly a few minuets later.

"Hmmm?" What was it Kyna had said? _Never forget your purpose. _The way she said it sounded as if it was laced with hidden meaning but she had no idea what meaning that was. _What was her purpose? _Well, that didn't take to much effort to work out, she was here to find out about Lorcan's past, but there was no way Kyna could have known that. Grace felt frustration rinse over her, _what did it mean? _

"Do you think Floydy likes it here?"

"Of course; he's got you looking after him, hasn't he?" Grace answered, her mind busy elsewhere… _what did it mean? _She was supposed be good at figuring things out…

Wait! Of course!

_Never forget your purpose…_

…her purpose was to find out about Lorcan's past…

_Don't' ever lock yourself away…_

…how was she supposed to discover the truth if she stayed hidden away, as she had done for the past few days?

That still left one last question though: How did Kyna know? Had she sensed he own despair in Grace or was it something more?

"Hey Anna? Why don't we go see what the others are up to?"

She supposed it didn't matter how she knew, Grace concluded, as long as she followed the advice.


	18. The Duel

_I'm sorry it's late, I had no idea this chapter was going to be so long, hopefully it'll be worth the extra wait (Argh! It was 4 pages on word! 4! AND it was in a tiny font!) _

_Poor, ignorant Lorcan he really has no idea what to think of Grace… And I had no intention of getting them drunk it just kind of happened that way. _

_Thanks again for the reviews. Vampirates © Justin Somper_

* * *

Roughly 10 minuets later…

"Good afternoon; Grace, Anna" Josephine called out cheerily from where she, Clare and Catalina were sitting under a ancient ash on top of a large, cream picnic blanket.

Anna, still clutching her poor kitten, waved back eagerly with her free hand.

Grace rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile as she they approached the group of girls. She was in a strangely happy mood after her talk with Kyna, although she wasn't one hundred percent sure why, it hadn't solved much but it had comforted her.

"It's good to see you among the living again, Grace" Josephine joked as she joined them underneath the leafy canopy.

"Ha, ha, very funny. I don't suppose you know where Lorcan is?"

A shadow crossed Josephine's expression, "Sure, he's over there" she said with a shrug gesturing to where Lorcan fought an invisible foe in the distance. He was good, maybe not as good as he had been when he had fought Bart aboard the Nocturne, but then, Grace mussed, he'd have plenty of time to practice.

The afternoon breeze was cool but gentle, it carried the aroma of the green pastures mixed in with the briny smell of the sea. It was intoxicating. Grace's gleeful mood continued to grown until she laughing and joking along with everyone else. Clare and Anna disappeared and Josephine leaned over reached over into the picnic basket she had brought with her and pulled out three tall, narrow, glass flutes and poured sparkling white wine into each of them. She handed one to Grace and another to Catalina, "To friends and family?"

Grace smiled, "To friends and family!" She toasted clinking her glass with Josephine. The wine was bitter-sweet but good. Grace knew she probably shouldn't drink it and after just a few sips she could feel her checks begin to glow. She wasn't definitely drunk, but the wine had enhanced her carefree attitude. She set the half-full, half-empty glass down on the soft grass and sighed. Josephine was already on her second (or was it third?) glass, her checks were bright red and she was talking an laughing loudly. Catalina seemed unaffected by the drink although she'd had as much as Josephine.

"I think I'll go see how Lorcan's getting on," Grace said standing up and stretching. Josephine rolled her eyes, "Give him this then" she said handing Grace yet another full glass. Grace took the glass, careful not to spill any, and made her way over to where Lorcan practiced sword fighting swordplay.

"Hello, Miss. Tempest"

"Hello, Mr. Furey" Grace replied cheerily handing him the glass of wine after he had set his sword aside. He looked down at it suspiciously, "Has Josephine been rotting through the cellar again?"

"Uh, I think so"

He sighed, "Mother's going to kill her when she finds out, she's already drunk I presume"

"Yeah, pretty much" He shook his head, although Grace couldn't tell whether it was out of amusement, worry or disappointment, or possibly all three. Nevertheless he still managed to drain the contents of the glass in one large gulp. He set the glass down next to the sword.

"You swordfight then?" Grace asked, ignoring the obviousness of the question.

"Yes, my father taught me"

"You must miss him"

"Very much so, but what about you? Are you close to your parents?"

"My mother died when my brother and I were born, so I never really new her. And my father died earlier this year."

"I'm sorry"

She smiled, "Don't be, anyway I've still got Connor"

"Surely you have someone else as well, your brother can't be much older than yourself, and if he's captain of a ship he's probably really busy"

" Well, I've got a few close friends…"

Lorcan grinned foolishly, "'Close friends' eh? You wouldn't happen to have anyone who goes a bit beyond the description of 'friend'" he teased. Grace choked up.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean…I was only teasing…sorry"

"-No, it's fine."

He looked at her strangely for a moment, "Well do you?" he caught her expression, "Sorry, you don't have to answer that."

She closed her eyes and tried to keep her voice from breaking as she spoke, "Actually, there is someone…" She opened her eyes; Lorcan was smiling again, "And you didn't think to tell us before?" He inquired playfully.

She took a deep calming breath, she never imagined herself having this conversation with Lorcan, she wasn't angry with him for asking, she probably would have done the same thing if she'd been in his shoes; but it was just so _awkward_, "They're…kind of…umm…in love with someone else…or at least I think they are"

He must have caught the sorrowful look in her eyes, "I am sorry, I shouldn't have pried" He did look sorry but she could see he was still a little bit curious, luckily though, he'd didn't press the point any further.

"Your brother then? What's he like?"

"Connor? He's wonderful. I don't see him as often as I use to, we used to be really close, but we understand each other. Why do you ask?"

"Just curiosity. Your life is interesting, not like this boring old place."

Grace remembered what he had said before when they had been strolling and chatting in the gardens together a fortnight ago. She remembered what he had said about wanting to leave home and see the world. Was he really so unhappy here? He certainly didn't act like it. She new the only reason he stayed was because of his family, but still, surely they would understand if he wanted to leave, just for a little while…then a wave of understanding hit her: hadn't spent just over three months on the Diablo? The only reason she stayed was because of Connor but it had taken Jez's death to get her to leave, if he hadn't died then she might still have been there, even now. Was that what it had taken to get Lorcan to leave, Grace asked herself with concern, did someone he loved have to die?

"What are you thinking about?" Lorcan asked, noticing Grace's frown.

"A friend of mine…"

"I don't suppose this would be the friend who is in love with someone else?"

"No, this friend died in a pirate raid" She didn't want to bring _that _topic up again. So she mentioned Jez instead, which was partly true anyway. Tactfully, she didn't mention it was he who was the pirate.

"A pirate raid! Really?" Lorcan's elicited tone caused her to look up; his expression was a mixture of shock and fascination.

She rolled her eyes, why were the two must important people in her life so fascinated by piracy, when she herself couldn't stand it? "Yes, really"

He seemed to take her dull tone of voice the wrong way, "I'm sorry I shouldn't have…It's terrible he died in such a way. I just thought it would be interesting to be able to fight properly" he said gesturing towards where his sword lie on the ground, "I should have released that it would upset you I'm sorry."

"It's okay"

Grace hated seeing Lorcan's usually cheerful smile turn into a remorseful frown. But his words gave her an idea which might just cheer him up a bit. She lent over and picked up a heavyset branch that had fallen of a localised tree. She scooted the ground for a similar stick, which didn't take long, and tossed one of the branches to Lorcan who caught it expertly with a questioning look on his face. She held up her own makeshift sword at the ready, "You think it might be interesting to fight? Come on then!"

His surprised expression turned to one of amusement and then to one of shock as he realised she was being serious, "But you're a girl!"

"It's good to hear your not as clueless as you look" Grace teased.

He ignored her ridicule. "I am not fighting a girl"

"Why not? If I were a pirate wouldn't you even try to stop me?"

"Women can't be pirates and they can't fight"

"Sure, they can. Me and my brother both learnt from the very best and _she _definitely wouldn't agree with that statement."

Lorcan laughed, clearly he wasn't going to take her very seriously, "I am not going to fight you"

"So if I were to just attack you, you wouldn't do anything about it?" Grace asked while simultaneously aiming a blow at his stomach, she didn't swing hard because although Lorcan's 19th century sexist-view annoyed her there was no way she was really going to hurt him. Lorcan called her bluff, and managed to grab the stick with one hand and stop the blow, "Nope" he smirked before letting go of the crude weapon.

She pouted her lip, "If that had been a real sword you would have sliced your hand open" This time she aimed for his head, she swung much harder this time to stop him from simply grabbing the 'sword' again, but feinted the blow to stop from hurting him. This time be believed her bluff and raised his own 'sword' to parry the attack. Now it was Grace's turn to smirk, "What was that you said but not fighting me?"

"Your enjoying this aren't you?"

"Yep" Grace aimed a third blow, this time she didn't even need to bother to fake it, she knew he would stop her. They continued that way for a forth, fifth and sixth time before Lorcan even thought to strike back. Grace met Lorcan's eyes and they both smiled at the same time. Grace wasn't lying when Lorcan had accused her of enjoying the duel. Normally, she hated fighting, it wasn't that she couldn't fight, it was just that it didn't interest her the way it interested Connor, but fighting Lorcan was different. She allowed herself to relax.

They continued to exchange blows, each one becoming more violent than the last as they became caught up in the duel. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Kyna standing beside Catalina in the distance, both of them were watching with identical looks of disapproval. She turned back to the fight in time to block another swing from Lorcan.

It was clear Lorcan was the better fighter but he seemed reluctant to actually hit her, although he'd had plenty of chances. Suddenly, a the most inappropriate of times, it struck Grace how Lorcan's beautiful blue eyes glistened in the sunlight, then a moment later she realised with a pang of sadness this would probably be able to see Lorcan outside in the daylight or at least the only time where it wasn't slowly killing him as she remembered how he had injured his eyes. Oh, how she missed the way he used to look at her when she had first joined the Nocturne now he couldn't even do that anymore, his injuries were so grave, but that of course was why she was here, wasn't it? To help him regain his eyesight.

Grace had completely lost track of her fight with Lorcan, and it was at that moment he choose to strike back. With an audible crack, Grace's stick snapped in two, bring her crashing back to reality or at least to what seemed like reality, although Grace knew better.

She raised both hands in surrender, "Okay, okay…You win" she said laughing and gasping for breath at the same time. Lorcan grinned his heart melting grin, "Your giving up already?"

"Hey, girls can't fight remember?"

"Hmph, I'm not so sure anymore" He said still smiling, she could see sweat glistening on the brow of his forehead, she knew, that she too wasn't faring much better either.

He set the substitute sword aside. There was a pause while Lorcan seemed to regain some of his formality and then; " Grace, Your not like other girls, I've met."

"What do you mean?"

"Other girls are dignified, graceful and refined"

"And I'm not?"

He looked at her seriously for a moment, "No, your not"

She smiled.


	19. Death of the Innocent

"…I can't believe that you to would be so irresponsible"

Grace glanced at Josephine, who was looking down at the floor, head hung in shame and her cheeks burning a flaming red, refusing to look her mother in her eye.

"You know you're not allowed in the wind cellar, and for good reason. And as for you Grace-"

Now it was Grace's turn to bow her head, embarrassed.

"-I may not be your mother but I do care for you and I'm disappointed that you acted so foolishly. I know it was not your fault and that it is my eldest two I should be blaming but I would have hoped you would have better sense then to listen to them"

Kyna didn't yell instead she spoke in a calm, quiet and sorrowful voice. In one way Grace would have found it easier if she _had _shouted, the disappointment was a lot worse than any anger. Her voice faded until the whole room was silent, after a moments pause, she turned her back on them and made her way out the room.

Josephine let out a soft sigh, as Kyna left them, and put her hands to her head. "I can't believe I was so stupid"

"It's not your fault, everyone makes mistakes" Grace said trying to comfort the older girl

"Maybe, but not as many as I do. Mother was ever so angry when she found out Anna had nearly drowned."

"That was an accident"

Josephine sniffed, trying to hold back tears, "But we shouldn't have been there in the first place and even then I should have at least tried to help her"

"Anna's safe though, that's all that matters"

"That's easy for you to say, she's not mad at you, she blames me for giving you wine and Lorcan for agreeing to duel you in the first place."

"It wasn't Lorcan's fault and I wasn't drunk either"

Josephine smiled ruefully, "So you say"

"How's Lorcan doing anyway?"

She laughed lightly, "Oh, he's off with somewhere with Catalina, still tending to his ego, he doesn't like it when Mother tells him off, since he is technically master of the house"

Grace forced a smile…Catalina, of course, hadn't gotten into any trouble, although she'd drank just as much as Josephine and Lorcan…Well, the to of them had been standing outside Kyna's study when she had told Lorcan off, her voice had been even more mournful than it had been just a few minutes ago. Grace couldn't help but recall the conversation in her head, it sent shivers down her spine:

"_I'm disappointed in you Lorcan" Kyna's voice was deathly quite and Grace struggled to hear._

"_I know, mother" -That was Lorcan, his voice was unmistakable even though the grave tone was unfamiliar to her._

"_You represent this family, and it's important you take that responsibility"_

"_Yes, mother"_

"_We have very little left and if we lose anything more, whether pride, reputation or money then we will have lost it all. If you lose Catalina because of this, and I would not blame her if she left, then we will be living off the streets"_

"_I am very aware of that" _

_There was a soulful sob from inside the study, "I don't want to have to marry off one of your sisters; I don't want to lose a daughter" _

_Grace glanced at Josephine in shock but the older girl didn't seem very surprised, only slightly sad at her mother's words._

"_I know, mother, you won't have to. Catalina is not angry with me we love each other to dearly to let this…trifle…come between us."_

_There was another sob, "Is it really any better though, that I lose my son instead?"_

"_Mother, You mustn't think of it like that, you must think of it as gaining a daughter, not losing a son, and it's not as if I'm going anywhere._

_Kyna half-laughed, half-sobbed, "Maybe your right, but that doesn't mean your not in any trouble, Why if your father were here he'd..." Kyna broke off, clearly upset, "I'll speak to you later"_

"Grace? Are you listening?"

Grace jumped, "Umm...kind of"

Josephine frowned, "You keep doing that you know"

"Doing what?"

"Daydreaming. Half the time I talk to you your not listening"

"Sorry"

Josephine opened the study door and stepped out into the hallway, followed by Grace. It was bright compared to the dank study, which was saying a lot since the hallway itself was lit with only a few gas lamps and had no natural source of light.

"What was it you were thinking about anyway?"

"Nothing" Grace lied, feeling a bright red blush light up her checks.

"Why wouldn't you tell me?" _Because I don't need Lorcan's sister telling him I'm secretly in love with him _Grace answered back in her head, part of her wanted to tell Josephine so, but in the end she remained silent as the two made their way down a long, dark hallway on the third story floor and towards one of the many studies in the Furey Home.

"Grace, can I ask you something?" Josephine asked her voice suddenly becoming nervous.

"If you want"

"Please don't take this the wrong way,"

"Okay?"

I don't mind if you say yes. I just want a truthful answer...."She paused and looked around, as if to see whether anyone else was listening.

Grace smiled despite Josephine's worried act , "What's the big mystery then?"

She rolled her eyes at Grace's casual tone, "I just don't want anyone else to hear"

"Fine, We can talk in here if you want." Grace said copying her eye roll and opening the study door.

Lorcan and Catalina and Lorcan were seated on a red velvet loveseat, lips locked together in a kiss…They sprang apart as she opened the door.

"Sorry…We didn't mean to interrupt anything…" Grace stammered already turning around to leave. "Nonsense, don't leave on account of us" Lorcan was blushing but he managed to sound cool and precise; she felt her own checks turn bright red.

"Sit down,_ copii_"

Josephine forced a polite smile and sat down on a large, cosy looking arm chair, reluctantly Grace followed her inside. Everyone exchanged genteel pleasantries as was custom before descending into an uncomfortable silence.

"So…Josephine, have you been practicing the piano?" Lorcan asked. Grace couldn't help but notice that he hadn't once looked at her, was he angry with her for coming up with the idea for them to fight?

Josephine nodded and Catalina laughed, although Grace had no idea why, "Perhaps I will show you the new Petrovici piece, yes?"

"That is kind of you to offer..." Catalina laughed again, "It is no trouble, meu dragă"

"What was it you wanted to ask me before," Grace asked turning to Josephine, if they were going to ignore her she could do the same!

"Oh, it was nothing" Grace frowned tell she was lying

"What was it you wanted to ask me before," Grace asked turning to Josephine

"Oh, it's nothing" It was obvious she was lying, it certainly had been something, but what was it that she didn't want anyone else to hear? She caught Catalina's gaze from the corner of her eye, was she imagining it or did the older girl look slightly smug, "I think we've got company"

Grace frowned, even Lorcan looked slightly puzzled. _What on earth was she talking about?_ Their questions were answered a moment later when a heart wrenching sob reached the ears.

The door burst open, and a young heartbroken girl raced in, she wrapped her small arms around Lorcan's neck . "Anna, what's wrong?" he asked, concerned. She buried her head in his shoulder and gave a muffled answer they couldn't understand.

"Shush, it's okay, you mustn't cry, everything's going to be okay" Lorcan's voice was gentle; it reminded Grace of her first visit to the Nocturne when he had comforted her when she was all alone, but now it was he who needed comforting. He moved over to the edge of the settee so Anna could sit between him and Catalina. For a second a flash of irritation crossed Catalina's face before being replaced with a sympathetic frown and a comfort pat on the knee, only her eyes remained cold and uncaring. Grace's felt a shiver run down her spine; _that look, _distrust washed over her, Catalina was not what she seemed.

Josephine stood up crossed the room, pulling out a lacy handkerchief from a pocket hidden somewhere in the folds of her dress and kneeled beside Anna wiping the tears off her checks, "What's wrong?"

"Th-They kill….ddddfloydy" She said with a muffled sob they couldn't understand..

"Shh, now stop crying, and tell us what happened"

"They killl…killed Floydy"

Josephine hugged her sister tightly, letting her younger sister weep into her shoulder.

Grace frowned she sensed something was wrong only she wasn't quite sure what.

"Who killed him?" It was Lorcan who spoke, he too was frowning.

"Don't know"

It suddenly clicked into place, "Anna, why did you say killed? How do you know he was killed and not just sick?"

Anna remained silent. Josephine and Lorcan glanced at her as she asked the odd question, probably wondering why she was asking a grief-stricken seven year old why she had said one word instead of another; Grace didn't let that detour her.

"Did he have two tiny marks on him?" she guessed

Anna nodded.

A confused look crossed Lorcan's brow, "How did you…?" he let the question fade. But Grace now noticed Catalina looked slightly nervous. _Did she know something? _Grace wondered. _Or was she just imagining things again? Only one way to find out…_

"This is only a guess, but I think whoever murdered the townspeople also killed Anna's cat"

Lorcan looked at her disbelief "Don't be absurd, why on earth would someone want to kill a kitten?"

Grace ignored him and silently prayed this would work, "I don't know, spite maybe or jealousy, what do you think Catalina?"

The blood drained from the girl's already pale face, "Why…I…I think your being ridiculous! The cat probably died from maltreatment or starvation or something!"

Grace's heart raced with a mixture of excitement, fear, disgust and most of all doubt. _Catalina had all the signs of a guilty criminal but, for the life of her ,Grace counld't think of any reason as to why. She also knew that her hate of Catalina was clouding her judgement. Because if Catalina was guilty then it might raise a few strange questions even Lorcan couldn't ignore…_

"Can we talk about this later, please." Josephine said still holding Anna. Grace instantly felt guilty she hadn't even thought about how the poor girl was feeling. Suddenly she had another flash of inspiration, "Anna, I know it's not the same, but what if you looked after my kitten that Fiach gave me"

"But she's yours…."

"But I won't be able to bring her with me when I leave, and I'll need someone to look after her for-" Anna let go of Josephine and through her arms round Grace.

"Can I really?"

Grace smiled, "Of course you can."

"What's her name?"

"She doesn't have one yet, Why don't you name her?"

Anna looked up at her and beamed, although tears still trickled down her checks. "I'm going to call her Gracie!" She let go of Grace and made a sloppy curtsey and ran out the room.

Lorcan smiled warmly, making Grace's heart melt, "That was kind of you Miss. Tempest-"

"It was nothing"

"-But if you don't mind me asking, what on earth possessed you to think that someone murdered a cat?"

She took a deep breath before answering, "I've seen this before"

"What do you mean, you've seen this before? How could you have seen this before?"

Grace kept a careful eye on Catalina's expression watching her chocolate brown eyes widen in surprise, and her golden curls swayed when she shook her head but he most important thing she noticed was the two sharp points on the girl's canine teeth as she spoke

Grace stiffed a gasp as possible explanations raced through her mind. _The cold pale skin….her nonexistent appetite…how she always looked ill…..and the fangs of course. If Grace had been on the Nocturne she would have bet her life Catalina wasn't human, but she wasn't o the Nocturne, and all her theories left one very important fact out: Catalina had been outside, in the sun, during the day._


	20. Truth

_I'm sorry about the last chapter, my heads a mess at the moment. For the past couple of days I'm been living off milk, paracetamol, chocolate and 'Christmas Cheer' which apparently is not a good combination. _

_Anyway I'm sorry I've been taking forever to update…and it might be awhile before the next chapter too, since I'm going to stay with family after Christmas. But I've got everything all planned out for the rest of this fic, and I managed to squeeze in one or two more flirting scenes before the end. (Plus all the chapter's have *prettyful* names…(like: 'Pretty Dresses and Golden Rings' and 'The Dance' etc)_

_Argh…Sorry I think my heads gone funny again, that's why I didn't write an authors note for the last chapter. But yeah, anyway thank you very much for all the favourites and watches and especially the reviews. _

_Oh, yes! And a very Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, since I doubt I'll have another chance to update. And a happy Kwanza/Hanukah/__Omisoka__/Any other winter festive I missed!_

* * *

Thoughts raged throughout Grace's head, was Catalina the murderer or not? It would be easy to believe she was, then Grace would have every reason to hate her but, of course, it was daylight now and she had seen the damage the sun could do to a vampire. She needed time to think this through….

"Where have you seen this before?" Catalina asked again; though, it sounded more like a demand rather than a question. Grace couldn't help but be reminded of a spoilt princess. _It's funny how the most inappropriate of thoughts enter your mind when your life is possibly in danger from a angelic-looking murderess. -Ah, but she hadn't proven that yet had she; She needed to think of someway to prove it…_

Grace stood up, She just needed to think…

"It's probably nothing, actually I'm sure it's nothing. But I…umm…think I'll go lie down…I umm…have a headache."

"Let me walk you back to your room" Catalina offered also standing and holding the door open for her, "You needn't bother, I'm fine on my own."

Catalina's presence wouldn't help her thoughts process in the slightest.

"Nonsense, I insist"

Grace hurried down the hallways, closely followed by Catalina,

"Have you really seen this before?"

"No…well not exactly, I once saw something similar, but then I realised that I was wrong, since I had forgotten a something; if that makes any sense."

"Ah, I think so." There was a pause "Are you enjoying your stay with the Fureys?" Catalina asked, dropping the subject completely.

She could see a glimmer of annoyance in her companions eyes and a slight frown on her lips. Grace wondered if their was a hidden meaning to Catalina's words. She wasn't sure what the best answer would be, evidently she decided to take the question on at face value and answer truthfully, as she had the last, "I still miss my home, but everyone's been very hospitable"

"Indeed"

A feeling of unease settled over her as the two descended into silence. She couldn't help but get the feeling that her companion was very, very angry but yet when Catalina spoke her voice was cool and controlled; "I've been meaning to talk to you, Grace."

"Have you?" She was confused now, hadn't they just been talking a few minutes ago and what on earth would Catalina need to talk to her alone about?

"Yes, I wanted to talk to you about Lorcan. You see, you've been spending an awfully large amount of time with him lately,"

"Your point being..?"

"My point, dear Grace, is that I want you to stay away from my husband"

They climbed a flight of dark wooden stairs. That hadn't been what Grace had expected Catalina say. She wasn't sure how to answer. Instead she glared at a long embroidered rug that stretched the length of the staircase, hoping that somehow it could swallow her whole, so she wouldn't have to here the rest of the conversation.

"I only say this because I want to protect him," Catalina continued, "I mean you could be anyone really, and your tale of adventure doesn't seem the likeliest scenario. None of us have any idea who you really are"

"Wait…you think _I_ murdered all those people!"

"No, no, no! -But you just happened to be walking by as Anna was drowning, all on your own, with no escort and you just happen to need a place to stay and then you instantly spend all you time with Lord Furey; It seems rather suspicious, dose it not?"

"Then, you think I want his money"

"I don't know what it is you wish to achieve, but remaining here will not get you whatever it is you want"

"I am here because Lorcan kindly invited me to stay after I saved his sister's _life_"

"Lorcan has more important things then family now"

Grace paused as she reached her loaned bedroom, her blood ran cold at the statement. She opened and entered the room while Catalina stood in the doorway.

"I love Lorcan. I will always love him and he shall always love me. It's nothing personal really but I don't believe it's a good idea for him to get to anyone just in case just in case the unthinkable should happen…"

"So you can have him all to yourself you mean"

There was a pause as Catalina considered. Grace took the chance to pick up the mirror Josephine had given her so long ago, on her first night at the manor, and was surprised to see tears running down her checks.

"I admire your boldness. You know we're not so different really, We both stand up for what we believe in-

Grace tilted the mirror a tiny fraction so she could just see over her shoulder.

"-and we would both do almost anything to protect the ones we love-." Catalina continued.

Grace watched the reflection of the empty doorway carefully, but there was no one there.

"-And I think perhaps given another chance you and I could become friends."

Silently, she counted to three before turning round. Catalina's words span around her mind, as the pale girl stood leaning against the open doorway.

"No, I don't think we could ever be friends"


	21. Josephine

_YAY! I'm back from Wales! Hope everyone had a good Xmas! Here's the next chapter, I don't have much else to say exept the begining of the next chapter = cute!_

* * *

She was a vampire. Grace no longer had any doubt.

"Please leave"

Catalina looked shocked, and once again she reminded Grace of a spoilt princess who had never been told no; Perhaps she had been. But it didn't matter, none of it mattered anymore.

"Just go! Please…"

Catalina glanced at her one last time before stepping delicately out the room. Grace slammed to door shut and let herself collapse onto the bed in a sobbing mess. So, Lorcan had fallen in love with a vampire, just like she had. He had planned to spend an eternity with his one true love, something she could only dream of. But something must have gone terribly wrong, and that's why he wasn't with her any more and that's why he wasn't getting any better. Because his love was gone.

Grace let the tears fun fully down her checks, soaking the bed clothes below her. Why hadn't he mentioned her? Why had he been so cruel, leading her to believe that somehow he might have had feelings for her? She needed to go back and ask him these questions, but how? She had no idea how to get back, she'd just assumed she would return once she had found out what the problem was and she'd figured it out, hadn't she? He was ill because he missed _her_, that was the answer. But why wasn't she back on the _Nocturne_ yet? This wasn't making any sense….Unless of course, she'd gotten it wrong.

What was it Catalina had said? She struggled to remember

'_Lorcan has more important things then family now__' - _While, those words were chilling they weren't what she was looking for. No, she had said something else, something important…

'_I shall always love him and he shall always love me' _- Those had been Catalina's words. It seemed she meant them literally…Together and Forever, the beautiful immortal couple…

Only Lorcan wasn't immortal…not yet at least.

Grace inhaled sharply, that was the problem: _Lorcan wasn't immortal. _

She couldn't see such a spoiled girl waiting for him to die naturally, about half a century later. No she would want him top be young and beautiful…not much older than herself. In Catalina's eyes they would be perfect. But could she really kill Lorcan? Grace was afraid to find out. She needed to tell someone. Anyone it didn't matter who, she had to stop this, she couldn't let Lorcan die. …

"Josephine?" Grace ran down the hallway, calling her friends name, "Josephine?" She tuned the corner, bumping into a solid body, "No need to shout, Grace"

"Josephine!"

Josephine smiled, "I was just coming to look for you, you were acting so strangely before."

Grace ignored her, "I need to talk to you; you said before if I had anything I wanted to talk about I could speak to you…"

"I know, but I need to ask you something first"

She remembered briefly Josephine attempting to question her earlier.

"Can it wait?"

"No, I need to know. I don't mind what your answer is but I need to know." She grabbed Grace's wrist and lead her into her own darkly decorated room, which Grace had been in only once before.

Josephine sat down on the bed and Grace on a ebony chair tucked under a small writing desk.

Grace was puzzled, what could be more important than Lorcan's life…why waste time asking silly questions?

Josephine took a deep breathe, "Please don't be angry with me for asking you this, but….Are you in love with my brother?"

Grace almost chocked with laughter, but even she could hear the hysterical edge to her own voice. Her first reaction was to deny it, she couldn't admit to that but then she realised she didn't have a choice, "I…Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Now, it was Josephine's turn to be confused.

"You see…umm" Grace struggled to explain it. How could she tell Josephine the truth when she herself was so confused, "I…I've met Lorcan before"

"Before? When?"  
"Well, in the future…"

She laughed but the sound soon faded and she caught Grace's solemn expression, "Your not serious?"

"In the future the Lorcan I know is dying."

"Dying…?" She echoed softly, "How?"

"Well…he was…he…it doesn't matter. The Lorcan I know is a lot different from the one you know"

"What do you mean, _'_different'?"

"That's not important"

"Well, then how did you get here?"

"That's not important either."

"So then, what is important?"

Grace stared at the older girls amused expression in horror, "You don't believe me"

"Would you, if you were in my place?"

"You've got to believe me! Lorcan is _DYING_!"

"Okay so just say I believed you…what would you want me to do about it?"

Grace felt hysteria creeping into her, why couldn't Josephine see the truth? "You've got to help me! We need to stop her!"

Lorcan's sister chuckled an all to familiar chuckle, "Okay so who is it exactly we need to stop."

"Catalina!"

The smile vanished from Josephine's lips, "Why on earth would you say something like that?"

"Because she's going to murder him!" Even as she said it she knew it was true, only know she had to convince Josephine to believe it too.

"You've lost it. You're mad. She would never do anything so wicked."

Grace could here her own voice ringing in her ears, It was high-pitched and frenetic, she couldn't blame Josephine for doubting her. She tried to calm herself, it didn't work "Look I know how this seems. But you must believe me. Don't you see the way she acts? The words she says, the way she moves…

"Stop it!"

"Think about it, she never eats, she spends almost all day indoors, she isn't even human.

"I said stop it!"

She was shocked at how angry Josephine sounded.

"Look, I know your in love with Lorcan, it was obvious from the beginning. But he and Catalina are engaged, they're going to get married. You can't just accuse her of these horrible lies out of jealousy."

"_Lies_?!"

"Catalina is the only reason my family are not living in poverty. She has blessed us with kindness and generosity. She and Lorcan love each other more than anything in the entire world, she could never ever hurt him"

Grace felt her theories fade. None of this made sense any more. She wanted out. It would be far easier just to ask Lorcan himself how he had died, she didn't want to deal with this anymore.

Josephine walked towards the door, refusing to look at Grace, and gazing angrily at the floor. She twisted the handle and stepped out of the room

"Josephine, wait" -Grace's voice was weak now, she had to many doubts.

"I'm not speaking to you again until you apologise to Catalina for telling horrible lies about her."

"I'm not apologising"

Josephine slammed the door and walked hurriedly away.

"Josephine!"

The older girl ignored her and followed the staircase all the way to the ground floor.

"Josephine!"

She ignored her and continued to march down another corridor and disappeared from sight.

Grace sunk to the floor as she reached the last step she buried her head in her hands and cried.


	22. The Invitation

_Eeek! Sorry this took so long to write and Thanks you all for the reviews. Oh, and sorry about the new year's thing too, It's kind of a tradition…._

* * *

Heavy Footsteps echoed throughout the entrance hall. Grace felt a warm hand touch her shoulder. She looked up.

Lorcan smiled kindly, "You know that's the maddest I've ever seen Josephine"

She blinked in surprise.

"I suppose I should be thanking you really, even _I _could never get her that annoyed."

Grace couldn't help but smile at Lorcan's ridiculous words.

"There now, isn't that better?" He said catching her smile and winking. She looked down at he ground in shame. Somehow he had always know what to say to make her feel better but she didn't want him to ask what had happened, she didn't want him to hate her too.

He lifted her chin gently with his forefinger and thumb so she was once again looking into his bright blue eyes. He chuckled, "My goodness, I hadn't realised before how awfully pretty you are Miss. Tempest"

Grace felt her heart warm, she knew he was only saying it to cheer her up, but it still made her feel as if their were butterflies flittering away inside of her. He pulled out a large white handkerchief with his spare hand and wiped away the tears from her cheeks, "Ah, you're even prettier when your not hiding behind those tears of yours"

She giggled, although she tried hard not to. But it was almost impossible to remain in a bad mood when Lorcan was acting so…so…well, she couldn't think of the right word to describe it…playful? Yes, he was playful but this was something more almost like…no, she wouldn't say, wouldn't even think it, it was just to outlandish to be true.

He grinned, that god-awful grin of his that turned her to putty in his hands.  
"Ahhh, and your laughter; it is like a choir of angels singing down from the heavens…like a beautiful songbird…like waves washing onto distant shores or maybe like the-"

Grace laughed, "-Okay I think you've made your point now"

He sat down beside her, still smiling. The closeness was both comforting and unnerving at the same time, "So are you going to tell me what this is all about? I could go and talk to her you know, make her see reason."

Her smile faded, "I don't think that will work"

"Goodness, it couldn't have been that bad. It would have to be something truly terrible to…" His voice trailed off as he caught her expression, "That bad, eh?"

* * *

_Evening, just before dinner. Two Days Later…_

* * *

Rain pounded against the glass windows while the wind whistled round the old house sounding like a banshee's cry. Josephine was curled up by the fire in a large velvet armchair, her head buried in an open book. Clare followed her example, sitting on a matching chair, however she had replace the book with a sampler which she embroidered patiently, weaving the needle in and out, in and out…

Just watching made Grace drowsy, she was amazed at the patience Clare showed, she new at that age she would have given up the delicate piece of embroidery from boredom and frustration long ago. She turned her head and instead watched Lorcan and Catalina who sat in a dark corner of the room competing in a game of chess, frankly it wasn't that much more interesting. The only one in the room, besides herself, who wasn't busy doing anything was Kyna who sat with her eyes, closed a worn out expression covering her face. Grace could see she wore a similar expression, as she stared at her own reflection on a gold-rimmed mirror, hanging over the mantelpiece, above the glowing fire. As before, Catalina's reflection was absent from the mirrored room; _it's funny_, Grace mussed, _how obvious these things are after you've already figured it out. _

"Checkmate"

"You win, again then" Grace twisted round, peering over her shoulder, so she could actually see _both _members of the happy couple. Both were grinning, making Grace wonder if he had let his dearly beloved win, _again.  
Had Catalina's teeth always that sharp; or was it just obvious, like the reflections, now that she knew?_

"Rematch?"

"Of course"

There was a knock on the door, as bone rapped against wood. Rosaline opened the door, looking nervous.

"A letter for you Ma'am" She entered the room carrying a silver platter, and on it a ivory-white letter sealed with a red wax signet. Kyna took the letter and placed it down gently in her lap and eyed it interestedly,

"Aren't you going to open it, mother?" Josephine asked a few moment later, curiosity overcoming her.  
Her eyes darkened, "No, It is after all addressed to the Lord of the Manor," she looked pointedly at her eldest son.

Lorcan stood up, joining her by the fireside, picking up a small silver knife from the platter, which she hadn't noticed earlier. Kyna handed him the letter and he broke the seal and unfolded the letter.

Grace watched his eyes move, back and forth, left to right; as he read and reread the letter.

"Well, what does it say?"

"It says, we are all invited to a ball"

"A ball?!" Clare squealed letting her embroidery sampler fall to the floor as she jumped up in excitement, "Oh, do read it out!"

He cleared his throat,

"_Lord Talbot , The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland presents his complements to the honourable Lord and Lady Furey, and request the pleasure of their company to spend the night dancing and merrymaking. You and your companions are cordially invited to attend the __Belltain__ball at Saint Patrick's Hall at __Six O'clock on May the First." _

"Saint Patrick's Hall?!" Can we go! Please! I'll never ask for anything else ever again! Pretty please, Lorcan…?"

"It's not really up to me, Clare"

"But the letter's-

"-I agree with Clare, it would be so lovely to go, and I do miss the dancing and the company, and we would have such a _grand _time." Catalina cut in with a smile.

"Well I suppose…"

Kyna frowned, "We can't go, Lorcan, you know that. We would never get their in time and anyway we would never be able to afford it…"

"Oh, you mustn't worry about money, Mrs. Furey, I said I'd take care of that didn't I?"

"Yes, but…"

"-Then you needn't worry" Catalina said with a bright, honey coated smile.

"Please, mother?" Clare begged

Kyna raised her hand in defeat, "Fine, but you can oversee all the preparations" She said irritated, with a look at Lorcan.

"Of course"

"I'm going to go tell Anna!" Clare said racing out the door.

"Now, wait just a minute!" Kyna shouted after her. She shook her head in exasperation before following her daughter out the room.

Grace smiled to herself, although her smile was tinted with a bit of sadness. It was sweet to see the family, acting like families did, none of this silly formality that came with this day and age. But it also made Grace realize, she really _did _miss her brother, and although she had started thinking of him less and less, her father too.

"Josephine…?"

"Yes?" Josephine, who had remained silent since the invitation had been opened, now spoke looking back at her older brother.

"You know I think you're the best sister in the world, right?"

"What do you want?"

"You couldn't possibly oversee all this for me could you?"

"Fine, but you owe me" She said rolling her eyes and turning her attentions back to the book in her hands.


	23. The Last Supper

_I don't like this chapter but it's half one in the morning and I'm tired. Once again thank you for the reviews._

* * *

Grace looked around the elaborately laid dinner table in curiosity. Almost nothing had changed since the first time she had sat here, almost three weeks ago, or so it appeared. She supposed some things _had _changed, Grace mused to herself, everything may have looked exactly the same as that first supper but it wasn't hard to _feel _the tension in the air; tension, which, had been nonexistent until she had mucked everything up.

Josephine appeared deep in thought "I was thinking…you said the ball was on the first of May, right?"

Lorcan nodded his head, making Kyna, who had just returned from chasing after Clare, frown even harder than before.

"Well, it will take roughly a week to get there and it's already the 20th today, and that doesn't leave any spare time if the carriage is damaged or a horse goes lame or were held up on the road…"

"I did say we wouldn't have time to make it," Kyna was with a sigh, she didn't look smug about it merely exhausted, and once again Grace couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "Besides we'd have to pack all our bags, and prepare our garments to wear, and make sure the coach is in good repair."

Lorcan glanced between his mother and sister and then towards his frowning fiancée, "So what you're saying is that there is no way we'd be able to make it there in time."

Josephine shook her head, "Oh, no we could get there in time, but we'd have to leave tomorrow, at first light, and even then we'd just have to pray to Lady Luck and hope for the best."

"Well, it's settled then," Catalina said with a smile, "We leave tomorrow at dawn, we'll have to send the messenger back with a reply tonight if we want to warn them of our coming."

Lorcan grinned, simply happy to see his fiancée happy, but Kyna shook her head in silent disagreement, "We could never be ready by then, back when I was a girl it would take months to prepare"

He didn't seem fazed and smiled cheerfully, "That was the 18th century, mother. But what about you, Grace, surly you have something to say? You've been awfully quite lately…."

Grace jumped, as if jolted with electricity, when Lorcan spoke her name. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, she hadn't been paying much attention to what was being spoken, it was rather like suddenly being picked to answer a question in a classroom when you had spent the previous half-hour day dreaming.

"Ummm…Well, where exactly is Saint Patrick's Hall?"

Catalina laughed, "Didn't your brother teach you anything about Ireland before leaving you here?" Grace felt, a mixture of anger and embarrassment washed over her she stared down at the polished wooden floor, wishing that somehow it could just swallow her up and she would wake up back aboard the Nocturne. The laughter faded, "You really don't know do you?"

"It's part of the Lord Lieutenant's staterooms." Lorcan said with another smile, then catching her blank look; "_Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath, _otherwise known as Dublin Castle"

She blinked in surprise, "_Dublin Castle…_as in _Dublin_, Dubin?"

'_I remember my time in Dublin and all that happened to me. I remember how it ended.'_

Lorcan's old warning raced through her head.

Kyna smiled warmly, for the first time in a long while, "I expect you'll be looking forward to seeing your brother again soon"

"Yes, of course…I…" She answered automatically, remembering somewhere in the back of her mind she should happy.

'_I've been to terrible places, place of darkness such as I hope you'll never see."_'

She had often tried to guess what had been so horrifying to make him speck those words, but it was impossible for her to imagine.

"I'm sorry…Didn't you just say we need to leave tomorrow?"

Unfortunately, yes. I know it's a rush but I suppose if…" She let Kyna's voice fade out into the distance.

Soon she wouldn't even need to imagine. Soon it would be reality.


	24. Coach & Inn: Part One

__

Okay , I am so, so sorry for the last chapter…honestly, I'm surprised no one's shot me for writing such a shoddy chapter. And really this one isn't to much better…And it needs a lot of explaining. First of all I really don't like Grace in this chapter , she's way to OC, she doesn't really have an excuse, but if you need one then I'll say 'the time period's really getting to her head'. Anyway, my excuse for everyone else is they are acting the way they would have grown up, since in the Regency period if someone

_said__ the word 'leg' in the presence of a lady then the only proper response would be for the woman to faint . So yeah they act pretty normal compared to that…  
This chapter and a few after it will be very jumpy with lots of breaks, it's basically to show time passing since they're going to be travelling for roughly a week and it would take to long to write that. But I promise it will get better , the last 3 chapters are supposed to be the best. _

_Disclaimer: I. Do. Not. Own._

* * *

Grace sparred a last glance over her shoulder at the Furey house. It was a sad sight, with it's worn stone walls, overgrown gardens and rusty gate. Once it would have been a beautiful home bustling with activity. It still was beautiful, but it was a melancholic beauty, tainted with sadness. She had a forbidding feeling that this would be the last time she would ever see Lorcan's home again.

Once again Fiach had managed to climb to the top of the carriage and was busy tying down all their luggage. She was amazed at how many bags they seemed to need; now she could see why Kyna doubted they would get there in time when they would have to carry so much extra weight.

"Is everyone ready?" Lorcan asked as he handed the last bag to Fiach. There was a muted agreement. But only Catalina really answered with a sweet-sounding, "Of course, _iubirea mea_"

Lorcan grinned and helped her into the cartridge as Fiach jumped down from the roof to join them, "Ma'am?" he questioned offering a hand to a startled Kyna.

Grace struggled not to laugh out loud but she found it comical to watch a boy of around twelve helping a fully capable woman, she knew she shouldn't laugh, it was the 19th century but Lorcan helping Catalina could pass as just being romantic, Kyna and Fiach on the other hand…

The boys helped the rest of the party inside, while Rosaline finished storing a few smaller bags under the drivers seat. "Grace?" Lorcan, held out his hand to her. Part of her was tempted to take it, after all, no one would think anything of it. But, no, she knew better. Every time, she allowed herself to be near Lorcan it ended badly: Josephine hated her, Catalina thought she was up to no good and even Kyna was exasperated with them. Still, she realised it was an awful long way up, now it kind of made sense why all the woman had to be helped into the carriage. Even with a few small steps already in place, it would be difficult to climb in a long dress...

Josephine was staring at her. She hadn't realised she was spending so much time making her decision. Grace knew she was being ridicules.

Her teachers at school had always taught her that life was a lot similar back in the past.

How wrong they were.

This time period was getting to her head, here every little detail mattered, from what colour clothes you wore and how you sat to who you spoke to.

"Grace, dear are you okay?" Kyna asked with a motherly concern, from inside the carriage.

"Yes, I'm coming now" Grace said aloud. 'What the hell' she added on her head. She picked up her skirts, as she had that fateful day on the beach and climbed into the coach. Lorcan turned a deep scarlet. It would have been funny to watch if Josephine hadn't been glaring at her and everyone else hadn't looked so shocked.

* * *

She sat down on a velvet padded bench as Kyna leaned her head back and shut her eyes. "I did something wrong again, didn't I?" She wasn't sure what compelled her to say it allowed but she did anyway. She regretted her decision, as she always did. This wasn't the 26th Century anymore. She needed to think before she acted, something she wasn't very fond of practicing.

"Yes" Kyna opened her eyes and looked at her, "But, don't blame yourself, dear"

"Then who do I blame?" She couldn't help the bitter words form coming out, she was so sick of this time.

"No one. This is the way you grew up, isn't it? You're use to it. You see nothing wrong. I can tell, you act so oddly, so out of place."

"You're very lucky to have grown up so free" Catalina added. Grace looked at her questioningly. She chuckled, "When I was a child; I would never have dreamed of showing my it's this not just where you're from is it? It's this age" She looked down at her gown, fingering the silky material. "These dresses they're so vulgar. Back home we wore layers upon layers of petticoats and bodices. And now you hear stories of woman who dampen the hem of a white gown. Can you imagine? It's obscene." Truthfully, Grace had absolutely know idea what Catalina was talking about, but she thought it best to agree anyway. Catalina saw only her doubt. "Ah, but you are a modern lady, Miss Tempest, no?"

Grace look at Kyna for help, but the older woman had closed her eyes again. Josephine was sitting next to her, Grace hadn't noticed her at first, she wore dark clothes like her mother and had only just entered in the middle of Catalina's speech; she won't get any help from there.  
"I suppose so"

Catalina laughed, good naturedly; "My own family was very old fashioned, were they not?" she directed the question at Lorcan as he finally helped Clare into the carriage. He smiled, although he was still blushing, "I couldn't say, never having actually met them, though you do have some strange habits, _mo chuisle_"

* * *

After what seemed like a millennium of waiting they eventually set off. It was the same layout as their previous journey: Grace, Clare and Josephine on side of the coach facing backwards and Kyna with Davin on her lap, Anna and Catalina sat opposite them. And also like before Lorcan, Fiach and Rosaline sat on the outside of the coach away from the cramped and stuffy air inside. Secretly Grace envied them, but she doubted saying so would help in the slightest.

During the first part of the coach ride, the road was bumpy and full of pot holes, and it stayed that way throughout their journey, but you got used to it after the first hour or two Grace thought to herself. Already, she was beginning to hate riding in the coach, just like she hated so many other things of this century. _How were they suppose to cope? _She wondered. _There trip to the beech had only been down the road and she had preferred walking back to riding in the coach, and what she could gather from Kyna and Josephine's squabbling was that it would take __days__ to reach Dublin. _

Kyna had fallen asleep with Davin sitting at her feet, on the carriage floor. Anna was staring out the window watching the green world pass by. Catalina was chatting away amiably with Josephine, Clare and Grace listened. It was obvious Clare admired the blonde girl, she wore her clothes in a similar fashion, she curled her hair to match Catalina's wavy locks and she watched the older girl very carefully, although she never joined in which struck Grace as rather odd.  
Grace, herself, was only half listening, hearing only snatches of the conversation. She was bored but she was also in to sour of a mood to join in, she had made a fool of herself, _again_, and she suspected Josephine and Lorcan's fiancée were still very very angry with her…

* * *

"-We should go to the modiste the day we arrive, and then straight to the linen drapers if we hope to-"

Grace let the conversation fade away. Instead just listening to the snug rhythm of Catalina's speech. Of course, she had heard her speak before but she'd never truly listened to the _way _she spoke. …  
The words were pronounced slowly and deeply, link a romantic or neolatin language, in fact if she were to right out what it sounded like…  
_'-Ve should go to ze modiste ze day ve arrive and, fen straight to ze linen draper if ve hope to-'  
_It reminded her of something from long ago, only she couldn't place it. Then something clicked. Grace wasn't sure whether to laugh at the irony or cry for the fact that she could have been so stupid. . Why hadn't she realised Catalina was a vampire? You'd think after living aboard a ship of vampires for about a month you'd be able to recognise one after a while. And even before then how many times had Grace watched cheesy old fashioned horror movies? Her accent…how many times had she heard a similar voice…

She chocked back hysteria, "Catalina, exactly where did you say you from again?"

She looked at Grace, puzzled, "Mureş, why do you ask?"

"And where is that?"

Her confused look grew, "It's part of the Principality of Transylvania which is part of the Austrian Empire, I don't see why it's important…-Grace are you feeling alright?"

"Yes. I'm just a little bit…taken aback" Catalina's looked even more confused than before. Perhaps, she should have chosen better wording than taken a back, to late now though. Grace thoughts felt thick and syrupy, almost like when she had thought her food was drugged that first week on the Nocturne, she needed an excuse quick, "I…uhh…mm…I was just wondering I…umm…never had much experience travelling except by sea and I was wondering…uh…what the chances are of being robbed?" The excuse sounded feeble even to her own ears but Catalina only laughed, "Oh, I see! , Josephine told me about your run in with the highway men, no wonder you've been acting so strangely" She laughed again, "And here I was thinking you had gone just a little bit mad"

Grace tried to smile, thought it came out as more of a grimace, "Yes, I suppose that does make sense"

* * *

There was a reasonable amount of grumbling and groaning as Rosaline opened the door and the party got off the coach. This time it was Fiach who offered to help her down. And this time Grace didn't refuse. She shivered in the cool night time air, looking up at the building in front of her. It was a good size inn, built on the edge of the road they had been travelling along. A short old gentleman opened the door of the building, and spotting them, started to walk towards them, "Good Evening! " he called cheerily.

Lorcan smiled friendlily, "Good evening sir, we are looking for somewhere to stay, you won't happen to have any rooms available?"

"Yes, of course, come in…" he said ushering them inside.

Grace paused, looking up at the rows of small windows, alight with candle-flame. The inn appeared warm and inviting, and truth be told, she couldn't wait to curl up in a nice warm and close her eyes and dream of a ship far, far away..


	25. Coach & Inn: Part Two

_Sorry, I've been really ill lately….I'm on caffeine pills at the moment…They're horrible, they make you feel all twitchy…But yeah, I actually managed to write another chapter of New Sydney and I'm trying to work out a plot for Follow Your Heart…It's only been what; a year or so?  
Oh, and thanks again for the reviews…Once again this chapter will be very jumpy…sorry….but it's the easiest way to show a passage of time. No prizes, for guessing who Grace is talking about…_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Vampirates (By Justin Somper), nor the songs, Thanks for the Memories (By Fall Out Boy) and Am gresit din nou iubirea mea (By Nicoleta Guta)_

_

* * *

_

Grace's eyes flickered open, adjusting to the bright light of the morning which flooded in through a grimy window. Once her eyes had become accustomed to the brightness, she found herself following the swirling patters in the plastered ceiling, it made her dizzy just looking at it.

She jumped at the sound of someone knocking on the door. The knock was soft, if she had been asleep she wouldn't even have woken up, she supposed that was the point thought.

Quickly as she could, Grace pulled a dressing gown over her nightgown and padded across the floor in her bare feet before opening the door where a middle age woman stood holding a wooden tray with a bowel of broth and a small chunk of off cut bread. She thanked the woman and took the tray as the servant left without a sound, before leaning against the door to shut it.

Grace set the tray down on an oak tabletop, glancing out the small square window at the same time. It was sunny for the moment but on the horizon she could see grey storm clouds brewing, just waiting to ruin their parade.

She sat down and picked up a steel spoon and tucked in to her breakfast. It tasted nice; although it wasn't what she'd normally consider breakfast food at least it was warm. She tore off a piece of bread and dipped it in the broth, instantly reminding her of the blood-red soup and black bread she had enjoyed back on the Nocturne in the galley. She smiled at the past memories. This meal wasn't nearly as good, although it didn't knock her unconscious either. It was the same meal she had eaten the previous night when they had entered the inn and dinned in the almost-empty front room. In fact, Grace had a nagging feeling, this was exactly the same meal she had eaten for dinner. She put the spoon down, got dressed and finished getting ready.

Lorcan, Kyna and Anna, were already downstairs by the time Grace had entered the front room.

"Ready to go then?" Lorcan called cheerily seeing her. She smiled, "Already? Are we not staying for a while longer?"

"It's the 22nd today; we don't have time to stay" Kyna said with a sigh, and then added with a look at Anna, "best wake your sisters up,"

Anna disappeared a moment later, as she bolted up the stairs, happy to have an excuse to annoy her siblings.

"Anyway, aren't you looking forward to seeing your brother?"

" Well yes, of course.."

Catalina choose that moment to enter the room. She looked like and angel, dressed in white with a halo of golden hair tied pulled up acting as a halo but her expression was far from angelic.

"_Draga mea_, must we leave now?"

"I'm sorry, Catalina, but if we want to make it in time..."

She managed to look hurt, angry and exasperated all at once, "But Lorcan, the sun...-You know what it does to my skin,"

Grace jumped, _Wait, could Lorcan be conspiring along with her? Did he know…?_

He shrugged unsympathetically, "Everyone else seems to endure it"

_...Apparently not._

* * *

An hour later and they were back on the road, and Grace was already bored as hell. It wouldn't have been so bad if Josephine had been speaking to her; despite being born almost several hundred years apart, they had a lot in common. Yet, it seemed for all their similarities they had a dozen differences. _For one, if Grace had been told by a friend that Connor was going to be murdered she wouldn't have hesitated to take action, _Grace smiled to herself, _even if the friend in question sounded like a complete and utter nutcase. _

"Gracie, can you tell us a story?" Anna asked, her blue eyes wide open and begging, the same way Lorcan's eyes looked when he wanted her to eat her dinner or cower away in her cabin or stay away from the galley or any of those other godawful things he asked to keep her safe.  
"I don't really know any"

"Please…" Clare begged. Grace could tell they were desperate, she would be too; if she had been that young, with nothing to keep her mind occupied with for days on end.

"Alright…" She hesitated for a moment trying to think of something suitable, "Once upon a time there was a beautiful girl with a beautiful voice…"  
"-What was her name?-"  
"- What did she look like?-"  
"-How old was she?-"

"-Was she royalty?"

Anna and Clare asked eagerly, bombarding her with questions.  
"She was a young woman with short black hair. She wore the most fashionable gowns and every night she would sing a very sorrowful song." They were intrigued now, and she could feel that the rest of the occupants of the coach were listening too. She continued regardless…  
"One day this lady decided she wanted to do something new for a change, so she bordered a ship set to journey out to sea and every night she sang the whole ship would listen to her beautiful, sorrowful voice. But one night, as she sang, the ship was struck by lightning as it sailed through the seas. The ship, _the Titania_, sank and the girl along with it."

Clare gasped and Anna stared at her in awe. Grace would have to remember to tell her friend Lorcan's sister had found the story so fascinating, when she saw her again, _if _she saw her again.

"But as she drowned, she caught sight of an old ship on the ocean floor. And as she saw it a strange thing happened and her body melted into the old galleon's figurehead. Then many years later the figurehead washed up on a far away shore where it was found and brought to a museum."

"A museum?" Josephine questioned incredulity, forgetting, for a moment, that she wasn't speaking to Grace.

"A museum. They put her among paintings and vases and old Egyptian tombs. She stood there for a while, Darcy, for that was the girl's name, as the wooden figurehead until she grew so bored that she simply came back to life and walked away"

As she spoke the last words she could feel Catalina's eyes watching her. Grace, was careful not to return the stare Catalina was the last person she needed to have another argument with…

"What happened then?" Anna prompted, egger for more.

"She went back out to sea, she disappeared, then she found a ship full of strange wonders and she stayed there." Grace meant to end the story there was the two youngest girls had other ideas; "But what happened after that?"  
"What was the ship like?" Anna and Clare asked simultaneously.

"Nothing happened after that, the ship….the ship was a ship for the dead, a ship that sails the ocean for eternity and will continue to sail until the world ends."

"Have you ever seen the seen the ship before?" Anna asked, Grace smiled, "You have, haven't you?!" Anna accused, a grin, so much like her brother's lighting up her small face.  
"What was she like this lady? Was she nice?"  
"Can you sing one of her songs?" Clare asked, adding to the pile of questions for Grace to answer. She simply shook her head with a small smile, remembering the old record player Lorcan had fallen asleep to.  
"Pleeeeaaasseee…?"

"Girls! If she doesn't want to sing, she doesn't have to" Kyna snapped with a mother's stern but caring tone, "And begging will not help. How am I supposed to trust you to act respectable to those around you in Dublin if you can't even behave yourselves right now"

"But mother…"

"Shall I sing?" Catalina asked, interrupting there conversation, making Grace wonder if it was just to get them to be quite rather than make them happy. Clare nodded her head, happily, and everyone fell silent.

"_Am gresit din nou iubirea mea,  
Ma iubesti stiu ca ma vei ierta...  
Tu imi spui adio...  
Nu mai vrei s-o luam de la-nceput,  
Pentru mine totul e pierdut…"_

Catalina's voice was high and breathy, reminding her of Darcy's, but the words weren't in English. Her eyes were closed and she looked slightly upset as she sung, making Grace wonder what the song was about.

"Please keep singing…" Clare asked enchanted by her idols voice.  
She shook her head, as Grace had, "It's far to sad"

"What does it mean?"  
Catalina merely shook her head again in reply.

"How about I tell you the story of Dearg-due? You would like her story, I think, Miss Tempest."

Josephine looked annoyed, "That's hardly appropriate, mother."

"Nonsense. My mother told me when I was a little girl. I don't supoose you've ever heard it before?"

Grace could tell from Josephine's glare that she wanted her to say 'yes' for whatever reason of her own, but Grace was intrigued now, if there was a reason Josephine didn't not want to her to hear it, "No, I've never heard it before"

She smiled and began: "Once there was a woman named Dearg-due who was famed for her beauty. She could have married any man she wanted to, she was so beautiful, but by chance she fell in love with a lowly peasant. Her father was enraged by this and married her to a wealthy lord whom made Dearg-due's life a misery. Eventually she could dare it no longer and killed herself. They buried her but the next full moon she rose from the grave and transformed into a bat like creature and murdered her father and husband. And every full moon since then she rises from the grave to lure young men to their deaths and drain them of their blood to substation her beauty and avenge her fate"

At once Grace could see why Josephine hadn't wanted her mother to tell the story. It would remind Grace of what she had accused Catalina of being. But the blonde woman only had a polite interested expression. Unlike Josephine who was glaring at Grace as she watched her eyeing Catalina's expression for any sign of familiarity.

The coach drew to a halt and Grace looked away, as she did she noticed Kyna was watching her and Josephine carefully, and as they stepped out into the cool evening air, Kyna whispered to her, "You know another thing my mother taught me, Grace? _Is neamhbhuan cogadh na gcarad; má bhíonn sé crua, ní bhíonn sé fada.- _A row between friends is short lasting; even if bitter it is never long."


	26. Welcome to Dublin

_Well, this is pretty much a pointless chapter.  
At least the action can start soon now that this is out of the way.  
Sorry Lorcan's acting strange in this chapter, there is a reason for it, I just can't say it.  
Thanks once again for the reviews and nope I still don't own it._

* * *

Grace hugged the woollen blanket closer to her chest as she stared out the window watching the freezing night pass slowly by.

"Nearly there, and with a few more days to spare, I don't think even this blasted weather will stop us" Josephine commented cheerfully to her mother.

"As long as no ill luck befalls us" Kyna replied glancing out the carriage window where the rain fell steadily. Her words were almost a curse, and a moment later there was a overly large thud and the carriage stopped. Josephine cursed under her breath and said, mainly to herself, "I guess I spoke to soon"

Anna sat up straight and rubbed her sore head, having hit it against the coach wall as they came to a sudden stop.

"_Drace! _I wonder what is wrong" Catalina said glancing out the window. Grace looked, too, just managing to make out the outline of three figures in the downpour, glancing at the coach. She could guess, just from the profile that one of them was Lorcan. And she was proven right when the figured approached and the door opened a moment later, "Is everyone okay?"

"We're all fine" Kyna said glancing at Anna, Luckily she didn't seem to badly hurt, though she still cradled her sore head in her hands.  
"What happened?" Catalina asked.

"Just a chink in the road, nothing to worry about" He replied cheerfully, despite being soaked from head to toe. Behind him, without the Grace could now see that the other figures were Rosaline and Fiach. Like Lorcan, both were completely drenched. It made Grace feel guilty, no matter how uncomfortable she was _inside _the coach they must be a hundred times worse off, _outside _of it.

"Do you want to go inside for a bit?" Grace said making up her mind and already starting to stand up even as she asked Lorcan.

Oh no! I'm fine, 'Tis only a spot of rain after all,""Are you sure?" She prompted.

"Yes, yes, quite sure"

Grace glanced up at Rosaline who was wrapped up in a blanket, as Grace was, but still soaking wet. She was shivering ."Rosaline? Would you like to rest for a while inside?"

"Oh no, Miss, I couldn't…" She answered teeth chattering.

"I insist, anyway, I think Kyna would be grateful for you, if you could entertain them fort a bit, tell them a story or something"

The maid looked uncertain, but Grace was already climbing out of the carriage, blanket still wrapped round her shoulders.. She held the door open to stop it swinging shut.

"Thank you, Ma'am" Rosaline smiled gratefully climbing into the carriage. She seemed slightly uncomfortable but Grace wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer.

"Miss. Tempest, you'll freeze to death out there!" Kyna said, sounding like a fussy mother hen. Grace smiled and tried not to shiver in the cold Irish rain, "I'll be fine"

"We best be going, Lord Furey!" Fiach shouted a little distance away. He seemed to be inspecting the coach for any signs of damage.

"Right," He muttered to himself more than to anyone else, before adding cheerily: "I expect we'll reach the next inn in the next half-an-hour so you shan't have to wait long before we're all sitting in front of a cosy fire with a good meal at hand." he shut the door carefully, smile fading as he did so. Grace watched him carefully, she hadn't realised how tired he looked until now. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" he replied heading towards the front of the coach, where the horses were. She followed him, "Something's obviously wrong, so you might as well tell me." She smiled suddenly remembering an old saying her dad has said once a long time ago, "A problem shared is a problem halved"

He smiled briefly, "You are one strange child, Miss Tempest." He said taking her hand to help her onto the driving seat. He was sitting next to her a moment later with Fiach on her other side. "You'll be warmer that way" the redheaded boy explained. She almost slid completely off the wet, slippery seat as the coach stared to move, _You know I've probably done __another__ stupid thing, _Grace thought, pulling herself upright again. _Oh, well Lorcan said we would probably be sitting cosily in the next inn, probably within the next thirty minutes. _

An hour later and Grace was soaked to the bone. Lorcan was steering the horses and had hardly spoke throughout the journey, he appeared deep in thought and Grace was reluctant to disturb him. Fiach, who at first had chatted merrily away, had quickly fallen asleep; now he lay slumped against Grace's shoulder. She didn't mind though, because despite how he sometimes acted he was still a child to her and she felt sorry for him having to sit out in the cold rain. Grace removed the wool blanket from her shoulders and wrapped it around the young boy, he didn't stir but she saw Lorcan glance at her.

"Your to kind, Miss Tempest."

"It's to wet to be of much use" She said shrugging his words off. She didn't want to admit it but he was starting to scare her, she had never seen him so serious since…well, since she had left the Nocturne, which was in the future…so chronologically speaking this _was_ the first time she had seen him acting this way.

"You never think of yourself, do you? Not when you jumped in the river to save my sister or when you give up your seat to a maid or when you gave Anna you cat after hers died"

"You sound like your angry at me for doing those things" She answered quietly.

He sighed, "Not at you, at myself"

She tuned towards him confused and rested her hands on his, which still held the leather reins, "I don't understand"

"I feel…strange…I'm sorry I'm not thinking clearly at the moment"

"Lorcan what's wrong? Your acting really odd"

He signed again, "Have you ever been in love?"

Grace almost dropped his hands in shock, whatever she'd been expecting him top say it hadn't been that. "Well…kind of…I guess…but it's a bit more complicated then that"

"He's in love with someone else, right?"

"Yeah," Grace said, remembering her conversation with him before they had duelled with their mock swords in the spring afternoon.

"But you still called him a close friend, even if he loves someone else, and people could easily think the wrong thing by you and him spending time together."

Grace was even more confused then before, "I really don't get what your getting at"

"Catalina thinks I need to spend more time with her and less time with you and my sisters. And I love Catalina, truly with all my heart but that's just it, if you love someone with all your heart how can you love someone else as well? How can I love her and my family at the same time?"

Grace was still puzzled but she thought she understood what he was hinting at, "There are lots of different types of love and the heart isn't limited to just one person. I love my brother and my friends, and my parent though they are no longer alive and if I were to have children I would love them as well, but not instead."

He laughed. instantly regaining his normal cheery attitude, "I know, I'm acting like a buffoon I think it must be the lack of sleep"

Grace laughed too, though mainly out of relief than anything else, "Maybe I should try steering then, we wouldn't want you driving us into some ditch"

"You couldn't even get on a horse two weeks ago, I'm hardly going to let you drive a carriage full of people in the dark and rain, am I?"

"You could let me try?"

"Sorry, Miss Tempest, but I value my life to much for that." Grace laughed along with him but this time her laugh was genuine. She didn't know what had come over Lorcan a minute ago but it couldn't have been serious, like he said it was probably do to tiredness. After all what else was there?

* * *

Grace jolted upright as a large _bump _startled her. As she opened her eyes the first thing she noticed were the rays of sunlight just beginning to peek over the horizon. It must be very early in the morning she reasoned, sitting up straight. It wasn't raining but she was still soaking wet and she was still sitting on the coach. _I must have fallen asleep, _she realised looking round. Fiach was awake but he still looked tired, although he had gotten the most sleep out of the three sitting on the exterior of the coach. Lorcan was the worst off, his face was drawn and he looked tired to the point of collapse but he still managed a small smile when he saw she was awake. Grace returned the smile and then for the first time properly noted her surroundings. They were approaching a town, _no not a town, a city! _Grace realised with a mixture of emotions.

"Is that…?"

"Dublin? Yes"

"I thought you said we would have to stay at another inn before we got here?"

"I thought so, but I think we may have managed to somehow miss the previous town in the dark, doesn't matter though, we're nearly there at any rate."

"You look exhausted"

He shrugged, "I am and I bet your are too and I don't even want to think about how tired the poor horses are. Thank god, we'll be there in a few more hours…" He stole a brief glance at her, "You should try and get some more sleep if you can, you don't want to be ill the night of the ball do you?"

She frowned, in fact missing the ball sounded like a really good idea at the moment, after all she was hear to find a murderer (Or _murderess_) not prance around in frilly dresses, of course she couldn't say that to Lorcan, and she _was _feeling rather tired, despite the fact that she'd only just woken up.  
"I suppose not…"

He risked another glance away from the road to smile at her. "You can lean against my shoulder if you want, I don't mind, though I don't imagine it would be very comfortable"

She smiled and rested her head against his shoulder blade , "Thanks" Surprisingly it wasn't that uncomfortable, at least not in the literal scene. But considering his future wife was sitting less than three feet away…  
…_Okay, it was just a little bit uncomfortable…  
_But at least she was warmer than before, whether because it was no longer night or because Lorcan's non-vampiric skin was a lot warmer than when he was dead, she didn't know. And she was already feeling drowsy…Her eyes slowly began to droop shut…

_

* * *

_

She was surround by the sound of shouting and laughing and the sounds of a range of animals neighing and squawking, barking, meowing and everything in between. There was noise was everywhere. Grace opened her eyes before quickly shutting them as they were assaulted by the afternoon sunlight. She couldn't suppress a small groan. It was obvious from the sound that they were in the middle of a busy city. She kept her eyes closed, letting the sounds wash over her, still leaning against Lorcan.  
_I should probably sit up now… _She realised followed swiftly with a feeling of disappointment. She didn't want to sit up, she could have happily stayed where she was for the rest of her life (even in the rain) if it meant she would always be at Lorcan's side. Unfortunately though, life didn't work that way. Reluctantly she sat upright, opening her eyes and pulling the blanket closer as she did so. She could feel Lorcan jump in surprise when she moved.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you"

He laughed, though it wasn't quite as cheerful as normal, he was far to tired, "No, it's okay. I didn't realise you were awake that's all"

"Mornin' Lady Tempest," Fiach said from Grace's other side. She turned and noticed for the first time he too, was awake.

"Good morning, though it's probably more like afternoon now"

He smiled and Grace realised in a few years time that smile would be breaking a few girls hearts, if it wasn't already; she thought remembering Anna's 'little crush'.

The stagecoach tuned the next corner onto a quilter road. The buildings were slightly bigger hear. And she realised they were only getting bigger and fancier as they turned onto a third, forth and fifth street. Then, quite suddenly, the coach stopped. Lorcan jumped down from the driver's seat and offered her a hand, so she could get down. She took his hand with a smile and joined him on the ground. "We made it!" Fiach cheered, already scrambling onto the roof to retrieve the bags.

"Aye, we made it! Welcome to Dublin Miss Tempest!" Lorcan said laughing and pulling Grace into a swift hug overrun with emotion.

"Welcome to Dublin" Grace repeated, still in a dazzle, _Lets just hope this isn't where we say goodbye too. _She added in a silent prayer.


	27. Ladies and their Sensitivities

_Sorry this is so late! I really really hate this chapter but I couldn't think of anything else to write. But hey at least there's only about 7 more chapters._

* * *

"But Mother, I want a new dress too!"

"So do I!" Anna whined, joining in with Clare's pleas.  
"No, no and a thousand times no. And if you keep asking then you won't have an occasion to wear the dress to anymore" Kyna threatened. The girls quietened.  
"Mrs. Furey, with all due respect, perhaps we should allow them to come with, I have plenty of money on me to spare." Catalina, always the angel, offered sweetly.  
Kyna simply sighed and took a deep calming breathe, "Thank you very much for your offer, but we do not except charity. They have dresses, they do not need any more"  
"But mother! Those are our Sunday dresses they're not nearly fancy enough and they're so old…"

"Clare, enough!"

"Come on," Lorcan said quietly taking Catalina's hand into his own and leading her towards the door. Josephine obediently followed, and Grace followed Josephine out of the inn where they were staying. Only _inn _wasn't the right were to describe it; inn's had been what they had stayed at while on the road it was more like a hotel. _But that is to modern a word. _Grace thought, _How about guesthouse? Hmm..better…  
_Grace jumped as she caught Lorcan's blue-eyed stare, he was shaking slightly. Then she blushed as she realised he was laughing at her, although his laugh was silent, so as not to attract attention.  
_'What?' _she mouthed back silently. He shook his head in amusement, still unvoiced, still shaking in laughter.  
Catalina seemed to notice the laugher too, "_Draga mea, _what is wrong?"

Lorcan smiled gently at his fiancée, squeezing her hand softly, "Nothing's wrong, _a chuisle,_"

* * *

They walked down the streets, for the most part silent. It was a short walk, roughly five minutes but it gave Grace a chance to appreciate the city. Crescent Moon Bay was a small town, not unlike Lorcan's hometown in Connemara; but Dublin was a city and not just any city, but the very heart of Ireland. And the place where Lorcan would die. She was sure of it.

"Grace? Are you okay?"  
It was Catalina speaking, making sure she was alright, asking her is she needed to sit down. She hadn't realised she had stopped moving.  
"Grace?"

"Grace!"

Now there were more voices joining Catalina's, asking her what was wrong. Telling her they would head back to the inn. Assuring her it would be okay. She'd probably just caught a bug sitting out in the rain all night, that was all. And they'd find her brother soon, too, she would be going home soon.

At least she knew the last one was true. She swore she could feel silk and velvet bedcovers covering her and the gentle rocking of a ship….

Grace blinked. And her vision became a little less foggy, she hadn't realised her vision _had _been foggy either. Lorcan was holding her upright. Catalina had her ice cold hands pressed against her forehead, checking to see if she was feverish. Josephine stood to the side, not the new angry Josephine but the old worrying one.

"Grace, dear, can you here me?" Catalina's sickly sweet voice asked. She sounded genuinely concerned. _How odd_, Grace thought. _I thought she was my enemy but maybe were just two sides of the same coin. We both love Lorcan. You think we'd have more in common. _She giggled.

"She delirious" Josephine commented. _Probably _Grace answered in her head. _Delirious in Love. _She giggled again, "I'm fine, honestly, you don't need to worry"  
"Grace you are _not _fine" Lorcan's expression shocked her, he looked terrified but still concerned. He was holding her tight to stop her collapsing.

She pushed him away, "I'm fine"  
Though, strictly speaking that was a lie. The ground felt like it was moving, like a ship rocked in the waves and she could see embroidered bed hangings above her. But that wasn't right because she was standing in the middle of Dublin with Lorcan.  
Lorcan wrapped an arm round her waist. She felt a bit dizzy but now her head was starting to clear and she realised just how very _embarrassing _the scene was.

She pushed Lorcan away again, "I really am okay now"  
And she knew she would be, her time here was ending, but it wasn't quite over yet.

"We should go back, you need to rest Miss. Tempest" Catalina said.  
"No, I don't want to ruin the day, we should keep going, I feel fine and were nearly there anyway"

She shrugged delicately, "If that's what you want"

Lorcan looked between the two girls. He sighed, "Fine, but if you start acting like that again, were heading straight back"

* * *

They arrived at their first stop less than two minutes later. By then Grace was feeling completely herself, it was hard to explain what exactly had happened, it had just felt like she'd turned onto the last page of a book she was reading, like she knew it would all be over soon, she just needed to finish this one last page.  
If Connor had been here he would have described it as 'hitting the wall' right before you're about to finish a race. She supposed his description would have been more appropriate.

Lorcan held the door open for the three girls. He called the shop a _Mantua-Maker _or _Modiste . _Grace called it a dressmaker. Inside was a bustling woman, she froze and she caught site of them and then smiled broadly, "_Jee-ah gwit! _Welcome!"  
Lorcan smiled politely back, "_Jee-ah iss mwir-ah gwit. _Would you mind if my friend sat down, she does not feel well"

Grace blushed and managed to glare at him at the same time.  
"Not at all" she gestured towards a sofa in the corner of the room.

Grace sat down, her blush rising.

"Are you here to be fitted?" She asked, turning to Catalina and Josephine.

"Yes, if you're not to busy"

"Not at all." She stepped gracefully over to a counter, picking up a large stack of papers, "Sit"  
Josephine and Catalina, sat down next to Grace. The shopkeep joined them , "Is there anything specific you're looking for Miss…." She blinked in confusion then smiled once again, "I'm sorry I didn't think I caught you're names"  
"Lady Catalina, the Marchioness de Bánffy"

"And I am Lord Furey and this is Lady Josephine and Miss Grace Tempest." Lorcan added.

Her smiled widened, "Nobility? I am privileged to meet you, my dears. If you don't think it rude, may I ask how many gowns you plan to order?"

"Two" Catalina answered quickly.  
The businesswoman looked slightly disappointed but quickly hid it, "Do you have anything specific in mind?"

"A ball gown, something to dance in"

She smiled wistfully, "For the May Day ball?"  
"Yes, we need something elegant and beautiful, something _memorable_."

The woman's smile faded, "May day…that's only…four days away. How can you expect me to make dresses for all of you in just three days!"  
"That's why we only ask for two, but it'll be well worth your while. Though, if the agreement is still not to your tastes we'll be happy to take our business else ware"

"No! No! I mean I'll be happy to serve you in any way I can. It's just…" She licked her lips nervously, "Ummm….how worthwhile exactly, did you say?"

Lorcan laughed, though Grace found it slightly unnerving: it wasn't Lorcan's usual laugh. It sounded like the laugh of someone who knew something you didn't. And, although she hated to admit it, something in it reminded her of the Busby's. Lorcan had definitely been raised as an aristocrat, she was just surprised she hadn't noticed it earlier. It probably explained why he was dating Catalina, too.

"Anyway," Josephine interrupted, "You will have more than three days, you've got the rest of the afternoon today, and we don't need the gowns 'till evening"

"Yes but I need to measure and cut and sew and decorate…"

"Perhaps we should get started then?" Catalina countered, before quickly picking up a book from the stack of papers flittering though the page.

"Are you okay?" Lorcan whispered, leaning close to Grace, making her jump.  
"Yes, why?"  
"You seem really angry all of a sudden" He sounded normal, concerned; normal and concerned being one and the same, for him. Grace wondered if she'd simply imagined his laugh as being different, it definitely won't be the first time she'd imagined things today. She didn't know what to say, so she simply shrugged in reply and glanced down the book in Catalina's hands.

It was a book of dress patterns. For the most part the dresses looked the same but she could see a few small details were different on some of them. Although she had no idea what made one dress look better then all the others. Apparently Catalina did and quickly chose one. Then it was Grace's turn; she choose one mainly at random, she honestly couldn't see the point in this. Lorcan was going to _die, _why was wasting she wasting precious time on such meaningless trifles?

She and Catalina spent the next hour and a half being measured. Josephine and Lorcan watched patiently. Grace was no where near as patient, she hated this, more than anything she wanted to go home. Even the seamstress measuring, had noticed, she chided lightly and told her she was lucky she hadn't been born a century earlier where ladies had been practically sewn into their dresses.

* * *

After the visit to the _Modiste _they needed to go to the _linen drapers_. Grace found this presses unnecessary complex, to buy a dress she thought only one shop would be needed and you could be in and out in five minutes; apparently not so.

The linen drapers was basically a fabric store and inside there were rows upon rows of every fabric in every colour imaginable. The scope of it was enough to give anyone a head ache.

"What colour gown were you planning on having, Grace?" Catalina asked, unravelling a role of sheer white cotton as she spoke.  
"I don't really know yet…"  
"Hmm…I think this'll do" She smiled to herself as if she had a private joke know one else knew. Then she turned back to Grace, "No idea? What about white and blue? Josephine, Clare and Anna are wearing white and pink, and I'll probably wear white with gold…so then we won't all be dressed the same"

Grace wondered musingly how all white qualified as not 'the same'.

"Uhhhh, maybe….this one!" Grace perked up as she caught sight of a length of jewel green silk. It was the exact colour of emerald. The exact shade of her eyes. Catalina frowned, "Are you sure, Grace? It's kind of well….eccentric. I suppose as a accent colour it might work…"

"I think gold would look nice with it" Grace interrupted, nearly doubling over in laughter as Catalina's expression turned to shock., although she tried to smooth it over.

"Well, it very…bold…but what about a more toned down version? Tea or moss green perhaps?"

Lorcan laughed, "Let her buy what she wants, darling, Miss. Tempest seems to have a strange way of getting what she wants." He winked at Grace as he finished, making Grace's heart flutter against her will.

"But Lorcan…" she lowered her voice, "We can't have people thinking…well making incorrect assumptions."

Lorcan rolled his eyes, "Let them make assumptions, I'm sure Grace is more than capable of dealing with a few rumours."


	28. Just two Lovers and Her

_To all the reviewers:_

_I think I meant to write this earlier but I__'__ve only got round to it now; I can still remember when I started this fic and 20 reviews seemed like a big goal and well, people with over 50 were practically gods. But I__'__m now well over a hundred and I'd like to thank you all for your support, without it I'd probably still be on chapter 3. There's quite a bit of romance in this chapter (if you can get past the first half of it), and I hope it'll make the motivation and reasonings clear in future chapters but anyway I hope you all enjoy the rest of the story._

_Only 5 more chapters to go!_

_Disclaimer: Of course I own it! I bought the rights on eBay last week, didn't I mention it earlier?*  
* (And so I don't get sued: That was a joke for anyone silly enough to think otherwise. Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper and eBay to EBay Inc)_

_PS. And this'll probably sound really big headed but, I'm really proud of the ending of this chapter, so let me know what you think of it! _

* * *

Grace had hoped everyone would have forgotten her little mishap earlier (or 'near life experience' as she liked to think of it) by the time they had gotten back to the guesthouse. But apparently it wasn't to be. Kyna had been horrified when she found out what had happened. She was surprised at how much fuss one woman could make, but then again, Grace reasoned, she had never had had a mothering figure in her life and for all she knew this was probably normal maternal behaviour.

"Grace you simply must rest, we can't have you ill when your brother arrives, now can we?" Grudgingly, Grace agreed and now, two days later, she was regretting it. It was now the 30th; the night before the night of the grand ball. She hadn't left the hotel since then: Lorcan and Catalina had sided with Kyna claiming she needed to rest, despite her protests, as always Josephine had remained silent, obviously too angry with her to care.

The whole family plus the two extra girls sat in a downstairs parlour: Anna and Clare practicing a fluttery looking dance; Josephine watching them, an amused expression on her face; Davin curled up, asleep in his mother's lap; Lorcan and Catalina whispering a quite conversation between themselves and Grace; watching them all, observing but not interfering, just like the Captain had told her. She was sick of it. How could he expect her to stand there and just let things unfold as they should when the cost would be Lorcan's life? How could she let him die? He looked so happy, sitting with Catalina, his true love, surrounded by the family he loved so dearly. He laughed as he stood up, taking Catalina's delicate pallid hand in his own and pulling her upright. She laughed as well, a smile lighting up her face. Grace felt guilty. She didn't like Catalina, but something truly awful must have befallen her if she was no longer with Lorcan.

"Anyone up for a walk through the park?" Lorcan now asked, already grabbing a dark grey overcoat.

"I want to come!" Anna exclaimed with a chaotic twirl, as she attempted, to dance and converse at the same time.

"I'll go as well," Grace added, "I could do with some fresh air"

"Josephine?"

The black haired girl looked up, at Lorcan, then his fiancée and then a final glance towards Grace. "No, I think I'll stay here if it's all the same"

He shrugged, "Mother? Clare?"

Clare was on the verge of speaking, but her mother answered for her, "No. It's late, neither of us is going and neither is Anna for that matter. If people were being murdered in our little town then think how dangerous it s here in the big city." She spoke sternly, then her voice softened, "I won't stop you three from going, though I wish I could. Particularly you, Grace; you're ill, whether you care to admit it or not"

Grace was torn, a range of emotions and thoughts flickered through her mind. She wanted to go and she wanted to stay. On one hand she was touched to hear Kyna cared about her in the same way she cared about her children and now she knew no one else was going besides the happy couple and her, it seemed a lot less refreshing idea.

"Maybe mother's right, Grace, you should rest"

Grace hesitated before coming to a decision. She shook her head definitely. Dublin was the city of Lorcan's death she was hardly going to leave him alone with a vampire in the middle of the night, even if said vampire did love him. Plus, she really could do with some fresh air, "I'm tired of sitting around all day, I need a chance to stretch my legs" Lorcan shrugged silently, before handing Catalina a velvet baby blue cloak. Grace stood up, joining them, tying a red cloak, also made of velvet, around her own neck.

She was glad for the extra layer as soon as she stepped outside, even Lorcan was shivering, only Catalina seemed undeterred as they exited the street they were staying on. The couple clinked arms as they walked down the city streets, which were, for the most part, empty. It was past dusk, but the lower sky remained bathed in yellow light, the sun lingering stubbornly, refusing to abandon them completely.

The couple walked hand in hand. Grace felt a familiar morbidity wash over her. She knew if a stranger were to pass by they'd see a couple strolling leisurely in the moonlight. And if they looked closer they might see another girl following. But they'd never see further than that, they'd never wonder who any of them were. They'd never know that the girl who followed was heartbroken. They'd only see the surface; just two lovers and her.

* * *

She kept her distance as they walked, staying a few paces behind the pair, who lead the way, apparently having no trouble navigating their way in the foreign city. She could hear them speaking softly to one another; and, it gave her some small grim satisfaction to hear they were arguing, although it sounded more like a lover's quarrel than anything serious.

"Lorcan I've been thinking…" he smiled at his fiancée spoke, "What about?"

"Us."

"What about us?"

She took a deep breathe, "We should buy a second home, perhaps even here in the city"

He looked amused, "A second home? What do we need a second home for? We already own land in Mureş anyway."

"Exactly in _Mure__ş_, in _Romania_. You're not telling me you want to move to another county are you?"

"No. My home is here, in Éire. My family home is _here. _Why would we need another home, in Ireland or elsewhere?"  
-As he spoke Grace couldn't help but remember what he had said as they walked in the gardens behind the manor. He had told her he'd give anything to leave. Had something changed? She listened more closely, hoping he would elaborate but Catalina answered instead, "Because, you said it yourself, your _family _home is here. It's where _your _familylive. I want a new home, for _our_ family."

"And what of my sisters? My brother? My mother? What of them?"

"They would have your old home or if you prefer we could build them a new home and _we _could live in Connemara, if you don't want to live elsewhere."

He paused, making the two girls stop in the middle of the street, "You misunderstood me, Miss. de Bánffy, I meant who would look after them if I were gone?"

"Your mother is a capable woman and when she was…._incapable, _your brother could manage things or we could always find someone else

He shook his head fiercely, "No. I will not abandon them. My father is dead there is no one else "

She shrugged delicately, as if she couldn't care either way, "I believe this is the turn to the green"

Grace looked away from the couple, noticing Catalina was right. A cast iron gate decorated a stone wall taller than herself; in fact the only way she could tell it was the park was through the wrought gate, which the other two had already entered. She made to follow them, but paused as she notice a sign hanging on the fence, "You do realise this is someone's private property, right?"

Lorcan shrugged, "If anyone asks we'll say we're visiting one of the houses, but it's doubtful anyone's going to bother us, we are the _ton* _after all."

"That's not a very ethical view is it?"

He laughed, "Are you telling me you've never done anything wrong before?"

"No, but at least I don't go out of my way to be bad"

"Are you sure? Because I heard Anna and Clare talking the other day, about a ship of the damned nonetheless. They said you had told them a story or something. Naturally I was horrified that my sisters had heard such a terrible thing."

Grace blushed guiltily and looked down at her feet as they headed deeper into the garden. He elbowed her ribs lightly and chuckled, "I'm only joking, Grace"

She couldn't help grinning at that.

"What?"

"You never call me Grace, it's always Miss Tempest or Lady Grace"

"Sorry"

"No I like it"

Grace couldn't help but notice, ass they walked, Catalina fell further behind. She thought about stopping, but Lorcan seemed happy enough to carry on. And she was happy enough without Catalina.

"So are you going to tell me about it?"

"About what?" Grace said jolting in surprise, and feeling slightly guilty at her previous thoughts.

"The ship of the damned, of course, I only got a really mixed up version from my sisters. Something about a wooden figurehead being struck by lighting and coming to life and joining some hell-bent crew"

"It was the other way round actually, she turned into a figurehead"

"And is that it, or is there more to it?"

"There's more to it, but I think you'll here it for yourself one day"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You'll see" She smiled, thinking of Darcy, she could bet within the first ten minutes of her two friends meeting each other Lorcan had heard her whole life story, Darcy wasn't one to hide anything, not like _some _vampires… "Is there a different story you want to here? A ship like that has plenty of stories, although I only know a few"

"You speak as if the ship is real. Do you have your own story to go with it?"

"Would you believe me if I did?"

He laughed, "Probably not, but I'd like to here it all the same"

"Me and my brother were out sailing on our little boat in the middle of a storm and the boat capsized and I started to drawn and-"

"Let me guess," Lorcan interrupted, "You were fighting for you life in the cruel, cold water close to death when you caught sigh of a ghostly ship sent to carry you away to Davy Jones' locker. But luckily, you were rescued by your brother"

She laughed, "Not exactly, it was the 'ghostly ship' which rescued me. A boy saw me and dived into the ocean to save me. He fished me out and then looked me in a cabin on board the ship for a week!"

He grinned, "How cruel! Did you escape?"

Grace knew he was only humouring her, but she was enjoying it and she could tell he was too. Anyway, it wasn't like he was going to remember any of this. "I tried but I only succeed once and then I was locked up again, and do you know what he told me? It was for my own safety. That he wanted to protect me from the monstrous crew who wanted to drink my blood"

Lorcan snorted in disbelief, "Maybe he told you that to scare you into never leaving and stay with him forever and ever"

Now it was Grace's turn for disbelief, although part of her wanted to burst into tears at the same time, "Anyway my brother rescues me, we happily ever after until I meet you. The end."

"And what happened to the poor demon boy who feel in love with the cruel Miss. Tempest?" Lorcan said, mockingly.

"He went mad with grief and starved himself"

Lorcan laughed, "Idiot. If it was me I'd steal you back"

"It's just a story" Grace said dryly. She bit hard on her lip to stop herself from crying, "And anyway he wasn't in love with me"

"Of course he was, you said it yourself; it's a story. All stories need romance"

"Not this one"

He shrugged. Grace looked away and towards the garden, pretending to admire the scenery. In other circumstances she would have admired it greatly, but now it was just a bunch of leaves and petals. They walked in silence for a while, and Grace noticed Catalina had fallen even further behind. She was just another part of the scenery now.

"I'm sorry, I upset you"

Grace turned back to look at again Lorcan, "I'm not upset"

"Yes, you are. And even if you weren't I think you will be"

"What do you mean"

"Do you remember when we were speaking on the coach, and I asked you how it was possible for someone to love more than one person?"

"Yes, I remember"

"I wasn't talking about my family"

Her breathe caught in her throat, he couldn't mean it? Admittedly it hadn't sounded like he was talking about family, but if he wasn't….the thought scared her and thrilled her at the same time. He caught her expression, and she noticed his eyes were sad.

"Josephine thinks we're in love, you know"

"She told…"

"-No, she said I should stop encouraging a woman who I'm not betrothed to."

"And what did you say" Grace replied in a whisper, she couldn't speak any louder, there was lump in her throat preventing her from speaking.

"I told her we're only friends"

"And are we?"

"I don't know, Grace. I enjoy you're company. But is that love? I love Catalina, that I do know. Maybe in another life it would have been different…"

"Maybe in another life…" She echoed sadly.

_But it's funny_, Grace thought, _if a stranger were to look by in passing they'd see a couple strolling leisurely in the moonlight. And if they looked a bit closer, they might notice another girl following. __But they'd never see further than that, they'd never wonder who any of them were, they never know the couple couldn't be together in this lifetime. They'd only see the surface; just two lovers and her._

* * *

_* Pronounced "Tone" which in this sense refers to a part of high society._


	29. Pretty Dresses and Golden Rings

May First. The day of the ball. Grace was terrified. She hadn't actually given the ball that much thought until now. Or at least not as much as any of the others, she had been far to worried about death and vampires. But now, as the night of the ball of the dance approached she was suddenly feeling a _lot_ more worried.

"Miss Tempest? Miss Tempest?" A voice echoed nearby. The door of the room Grace was staying in opened and Catalina appeared. She seemed to be in a strangely good mood despite her disagreement with Lorcan the previous night, "Oh, there you are! Didn't you hear me calling?"  
Of course Grace had heart her calling. She just chose to ignore it. Thought she wouldn't say _that_, "Yes, sorry, I was just lost in thought"

"Well, no harm done! I only came to ask whether or not you were coming with us to pick up the dresses, Lorcan's coming and so is Anna-" When she spoke the young girl's name her eyes lost some of their lustre and her expression became less jovial, but Grace only had a second to register it because Catalina was still speaking, "It won't take long, and it's such a lovely day out…" With that Grace couldn't but help glance out the window. The sky was an overcast grey and their would probably be a downpour later, but after all her time spent here she came to realise, _a lovely day_, just meant _not raining_.

But what Grace couldn't understand was Catalina's cheerful attitude. She was treating her as if they were equals…_no, not even equals -Friends!…_Grace realised. This didn't make scene to her in the slightest. Hadn't the other girl told her to 'stay away from my husband'. And now they were the best of friends?

"So, are you coming?"

"I guess so" She answered hesitantly. She knew there must be a purpose behind the girl's merry mood. She just hoped it wasn't something bad.

"Come on then" Grace had just enough time to snatch up a cloak and her purse before Catalina took her wrist in her abnormally cold hands and half led half pulled her downstairs.

* * *

Once again, the trio walked to the dressmakers (_Mantua-Maker _Grace told herself, she needed to learn the right language if she wanted to fit in) but instead of Josephine tagging along it was Anna this time, who was, putting it nicely, a lot more excitable. Lorcan, too, was in a good mood he joked and jested with the three girls and of course, Catalina played her part beautifully, she smiled and laughed at all the right moments and charmed everyone around her. Grace couldn't help but wonder of this was all an act or whether Catalina really was a perfect little princess. It didn't matter either way, Lorcan was enchanted, he seemed to have forgotten the happenings of yesterday without hesitation, both the argument with his fiancée and the conversation he had shared with Grace.

"Lorcan can we buy some cakes pleeeassee?" Anna pleaded as they passed a bakers. He rolled his eyes, "No,"

Two minutes later, the scenario was the same, "Can we buy some sweetmeats, if we can't have cake?"

"No"

"How about a pie? A fruity one, we don't even have to take it home we can just eat it here, mother wouldn't have to know."

"Anna, we are not buying anything except, dresses for Catalina and Grace, okay?"

His voice saw stern but Grace could see he was trying not to laugh as Anna folder her arms crossly and pouted. It didn't last long, with a chuckle Lorcan grabbed his sister and lifted her so he was carrying her like a newborn baby. She squealed and wriggled, causing her bonnet to fall off but Lorcan didn't let go.  
Grace couldn't help but laugh, she remembered Lorcan carrying her in a similar way, which stung her slightly; knowing that he treated her like a seven year old. But the hurt didn't last long, it was nice to see Lorcan looking so happy.  
-Catalina didn't appear to agree, Grace could see she was frowning but then she took a step closer and swooped up the fallen bonnet and placed in on Anna's ebony head and gave Lorcan a quick peck on the cheek, all smiles and laughs once again.

* * *

Grace tried to stand as still as possible as the same shopkeeper she had met a few days ago made a few quick changes to the dress as she wore it.

"There we are!" She said as she gave final snip to the end of the thread.

"Thank you" She stepped down from the chair and pulled off the dress. She supposed if she had been back home she would have been mortified to strip down to her underwear with someone else in the same room, but it hardly counted here since what she wore under her clothes was practically an outfit in itself.

The _Mantua-Maker _took the dress from Grace's hands and wrapped it carefully in a length of brown packaging, "You're happy with it, yes?"

"Yes," she answered, "You did a beautiful job"

The woman smiled, "Thank you, it's nice to know someone appreciates _oeuvre_, although truth be told I was a little uncertain when I saw those colours…but you do seem to have an eye for hidden beauty…"

"What do you mean?" Grace asked confused, _'An eye for hidden beauty?' Sure it was a nice bit of cloth but that was exaggerating a bit…and why would she be uncertain?_

"Well, you know…" she answered slightly nervous, than catching Grace's blank look, "-the colours?"

She still didn't have any idea what the woman was talking about.

"Most ladies your age prefer light colours"  
_Just because she wasn't wearing exactly what was 'in' she was considered wield?  
_She laughed, "Is that it?"

The shopkeeper gave her a strange look, "I knew you weren't from around here but surely your friends would have mentioned…"

"Mentioned what?" Grace said sharply, sounding harsh, although she hadn't intended to. She's had a brief recollection of Catalina trying to convince her to buy something else.

"Never mind that now, it looks lovely." she said hastily, "Why don't you go and join your friends, I'm sure they're tired of waiting"

Grace had the feeling that the older woman was trying to avoid answering her question but followed her out into the main room where Lorcan, Catalina and Anna sat. They stood up (or in Anna's case jumped up) as the two entered.

"How does it fit" Catalina asked.

"Wonderfully"

"_Oh, Bine!" _She exclaimed, clapping her hands together and smiling. If Grace couldn't understand the language she definitely understood the gestures. But what she didn't understand was why on earth Catalina was so jovial all of a sudden. Well, that and why everyone thought she should have gotten a different coloured dress.

Lorcan handed Grace her purse (he'd very chivalrously offered to hold it for her while she got changed) and went over to speak with the shop owner.

"How much do you want for the dresses"

She hesitated but when she spoke her voice was firm, "Thirty puint"

Lorcan laughed, "Don't be ridiculous"

She shrugged, "You wanted the dresses fast and silk isn't exactly cheap either"

"Yes but still.. thirty puint! We already paid for the cloth anyway, you can't charge us for that!"

"Thirty puint"

"Ten"

"Err…can you explain what going on?" Grace whispered to Catalina.

"They're haggling the price of the dresses" the older girl explained patiently.

"Yes, I kind of guessed that. But what on earth is a 'puint'?"

"It's a kind of money, like leu or sterling"

That didn't really help at all, "So, thirty is a lot then?"

For the first time Catalina looked uncertain, "Mmm, I think so"

"'Tis a lot" Anna said skipping over to join them. _Was it just her or was Catalina glaring at the little girl. But no, she was smiling politely now. _Grace wondered, _Or was she simply imagining things? _

"Lorcan, _draga mea, _maybe we should just pay the woman what she wants, I don't want to spend all day here" She said raising her voice from a whisper and smiling sweetly. But for once Lorcan seemed impervious to Catalina's charms.

"_Mo thaisce_, I know you only want to help but thirty puint is an awful lot of money…we could feed a horse for a year with that much"

Like Catalina, Grace wasn't looking forward to waiting for them to come to some sort of agreement but unlike Catalina she would do something about it, "I'll pay"

"Oh no, there's no need Grace…really…" Lorcan said embarrassed, "I didn't mean I couldn't pay I just meant.."

She raised a hand to stop him speaking, "You and your family have looked after me week in and week out, this is the least I can do for you" Then she hesitated remembering the foreign looking coins in the bag, "Err…I might need some help counting them out though"

The shopkeeper, still a bit annoyed at Lorcan, cleared of a table in the room.

"Grace I really don't mind paying…" Lorcan started again. Grace couldn't help but wonder if he didn't want to seem impoverished in front of anyone or if he was just determined to be the gentleman no matter the cost.

Catalina sighed, "Let the girl pay if she wants to Lorcan…"

"But-"

"It's fine really, I haven't got much use for this anyway" Grace interrupted, holding the purse the Captain had given her. She it upside down for a moment letting the contents simply fall onto the table. Golden coin spilled out and began rolling away, those which did fall were rescued by Anna who looked at them with wide eyes. There were notes too, Grace realised, at the very bottom of the bag. She hadn't noticed them back in her cabin aboard the Nocturne when she'd first opened the bag, and she hadn't looked in it since.

The room fell into a silence so sudden it made Grace uncomfortable. Lorcan seemed stunned and the _Mantua-Maker _looked as if she was about to faint, even Catalina seemed slightly surprised. Anna was the only one who didn't seem bothered, "Here you go" she said handing Grace a few coins which had rolled onto the floor.  
Lorcan laughed softly, running his fingers through his hair, "It's funny because I thought you said you were robbed by a highwayman"

"I did" Grace said nervously, had she messed up things again? It seemed to be a habit when she was around Lorcan.

"And he just happened to leave the money behind?"

"Err, well he did take the money, most of it anyway" she said, struggling to come up with a good lie, "But I guess he just missed my purse because I had it on me"

Nobody looked convinced, "And you had that much on you because…?"

_Think, Grace, think! _"Well, most of the money was to pay for coaches and food and places to stay but my brother thought it would be a good idea if I had a bit on me, you know, in case I saw something I liked, like a souvenir"

"A souvenir?" he repeated incredulity, "Are you mad?"

Now it was Grace's turn to be surprised, sure it was a stupid lie but it was the best she could come up with on the spot.

"Lorcan's right," Catalina said softly, "that's suicide carrying around that kind of money"

"Can we leave now?" Anna asked

"What do you-"

"Yes, we're leaving" Lorcan agreed hurriedly, cutting off Grace's question. He turned to the shopkeeper, "Well, thank you very much for your time. It was a pleasure doing business with you. Well be sure to recommended you to our friends. Come on Catalina, Anna, Grace."

They shoved the money back, leaving a few coins out for the dresses and hurried out of the shop.

"I don't understand-" Grace said, "What's wrong?" _Had she messed it all up again. _

"You really don't get it do you," Catalina said looking at her with her round chocolate-brown eyes, wide as a child's but so much sadder.

"Grace, people kill to get that kind of money" Lorcan added, "I can't believe you've been carrying that much around with you? What if someone else saw? You'd be dead within a minute"

"Wait what?" Now she really was confused, sure it was a lot, she supposed it had to be since she was meant to stay out of Lorcan's life which probably meant she was suppose to have stayed and eaten in inns and the like instead of living with his family, but surely he was exaggerating…But he wasn't acting like it and Catalina seemed pretty serious too. Only Anna was herself, "Now that were rich again, can we finally get something to eat?" Nobody paid any attention.

"That's solid gold, worth a small fortune and there must have been at least 20 notes each worth…" Catalina smiled briefly, "You're sure your brothers a ship's Captain and not a Duke?"

Lorcan couldn't help but chuckle at that, "Maybe we should call her 'Princess Grace'"

They both burst out laughing.

"Okay I am really confused here. So you're _not _mad?"

"Oh course were not mad!" Lorcan exclaimed, he seemed genuinely hurt to hear her say so, "We were worried, that's all, you could have been killed"

"Oh," Grace said in a small voice, _did the really care about her that much? Lorcan loved Catalina and not her, he's made that much clear, even if he had hinted at the possibility of him caring for her that way his fiancée was still more important. And Catalina herself had told her to stay away from her husband, surely the girl would be relieved if she was killed. But then, _she realised, _even if they didn't get along perfectly they were still friends. Even Catalina and her were somewhat close, they may be rivals but that was only because they were the same not because they were different, and she could see why Lorcan loved her now, she was polite and generous and charming…_

_

* * *

_

Catalina let out a small gasp, covering her mouth with a petit pale hand and stopping as they walked.

"What's wrong, _a chuisle_?"

"Oh, I think I left one of the _stoles_ in the shop"

"We could go back and-"  
"Oh no, were nearly there and I don't want to make us all go back for something so frivolous, especially since Anna is so hungry. I'll go myself it'll only take a minute…"

"You can't go on your own what if something happens?"

"It won't and anyone I won't be on my own…Miss. Tempest will come with me. Won't you Grace?"

"I suppose-" Grace started nervously. She couldn't help but feel as if this was a bit staged, it just felt a it unreal. But then again, she supposed it wasn't real at all. It was a just a dream. _A memory_.

"Then its settled, you and Anna head back to the inn and Miss. Tempest and I shall pop back to the _modiste. _We shan't be a minute" She grabbed Grace's hand and stated pulling her back the way we'd came.

"Wait, _Lady de __Bánffy_!"

But Catalina was already gone and Grace with her. They rushed down the street, walking as fast as the could without actually running. Them, without warning, Catalina pulled her down a narrow side street.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"Waiting," She stood in silence for a few moments before sneaking a glace round the corner. Grace couldn't help but follow her lead, curious as to what her companion was looking for. She realised at once Lorcan and Anna were gone.

"Come on," the Marchioness said grabbing her hand once more and pulling her back onto the main road back towards the guest house.  
"Where are we going?"

"Never mind that," she snapped, "We must be quick"

They headed down another side street and ddespite what she had thought earlier Grace did not completely trust Catalina especially when they headed in the opposite direction to the shop; in fact she could hardly think of a worse place to be then stuck in a deserted alleyway with a vampire who thought she was here to steal her boyfriend.

They stopped outside a jewellers, "Here we are,"

"Wait, what are we doing here-?"

"I' buying a gift, for Lorcan"

She breathed a sigh of relief, no wonder Catalina had been in a rush to get away from Lorcan then, it all made scene it she wanted to keep it secret.

"You won't tell him will you?"

"Of course not," she said soothingly, then, curiosity getting the better of her, "What's it for? It's not a birthday present is it?"

"No, I'm going to give it to him at the end of the ball. To say sorry"

"Sorry? Because of your argument?" Grace asked. Her mouth snapped shut as soon as the words left her lips. _Opps. _She probably shouldn't have admitted to listening in on their conversation. But Catalina didn't seem angry.

"Something like that, yes. I guess you heard us then"

"Yeah, sorry. I hadn't meant to…it just sort of happened."

"I understand. But tell me do you think me selfish? Do you think me cruel"

Catalina stared at her intently, brown eyes shining, waiting for the answer. Grace faltered, "What do you mean?"

"When we argued, me and you back in Connemara, you told me I was selfish because I wanted him all to myself; and you were right. But wouldn't you if you were in my place?"

"I suppose so.."

"I love Lorcan, don't get me wrong, I love him more than anything. But he doesn't feel the same"

"Of course he does!" _What, did she think Lorcan didn't love her?_

"No he doesn't he always puts his family first, always, I can't stand it!"

"That doesn't mean he doesn't love you. He just loves his family too"

Catalina was fuming, "If he loved me more then he'd come away with me but he won't. He wants to spend all his time with his sisters, it's never 'me and Lorcan', its always 'me, Lorcan and Josephine' or 'me, Lorcan and Anna' he treats me like one of his _sisters_!"

"That's not true"

"It doesn't matter" she said, bitterly but more calm, "It won't matter anymore. I'll never have to worry about it again. Everything changes…"

She felt a unsuppressed ripple of horror was over her, "What do you mean?"

"Come on, lets go inside" She said, cheerful again, opening the door and heading inside the shop, leaving Grace standing alone, "Everything Changes" she repeated to herself in a whisper, _'Everything Changes' _What could it mean?

_

* * *

_

Inside the shop Catalina was already busy talking to a man behind the counter. As Grace appeared she saw he handed her a small velvet lined box. Catalina smiled, "It's a traditional wedding ring," she told Grace, without truing, "with just one tiny difference. Would you like to see it?"

"Sure," She stepped closet, then realisation dawned on her, "A traditional ring with…" she whispered, "It has a skull where the heart should be"

Catalina looked up at her sharply, "How did you know?"

"I'm a guess I'm just a good guesser" She said, shrugging the question off casually. What else could she say? She had seen him wearing in it 700 years in the future? That she had worn the very same ring around her neck on the Diablo?

"I'll show it to you if you like" Her pale spider-like fingers already lifting off the lid. -Grace's guess had been correct.

"Do you think he'll like it"

She swallowed nervously, "Yes, I'm quite sure he'll love it"

"Really? I know it's not traditional, where you hand someone your heart. But I choose it because I thought if the skull represents rebirth, it would be like giving someone a second chance? You understand? I thought it to be more meaningful,"

"Yes, yes. I suppose it is" But deep in her heart she felt dread rising up. Catalina's voice was barely more than a whisper now. But Grace could hear them as clear as day.

"I just want him to know how much I care, I don't ever want him to forget just how much I love him…"

Her own voice was quite now too, to match Catalina's, "No, I don't think he'll ever forget you" And she wasn't just saying so for support, because why else would Lorcan still have the ring if he had gotten over his true love?


	30. Handsom Men and Silver Knives

_Okay, first of all I am so sorry. Yes, I know how long it's been. Yes, I'm still living in this field of relitivity and Yes, I'm still continuing this fic. I'm not going to go into any details as to why I haven't been able to write lately, since I know most people just want to get on an finish this story, so the only thing I'll say is that I'm very sorry, especailly to those who kept on reviewing and sending me emails. Thank you, guys! You all deserve a medal. __  
This chapter isn't the best I've written but it's here and it's fairly vital to the plot. So without further ado.._

* * *

Grace and Catalina walked back to the guest house in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Catalina was humming to herself as she walked; it was a haunting tune, it was similar if not the same one as the song she had song on the coach trip here. Grace paused in her thoughts for a moment, to listen to her companion's lament before tuning it out again and turning her focus more internally.

_So it had been Catalina who had given Lorcan his Claddagh ring. _She wasn't even sure whether she should be surprised anymore, there was so much Lorcan hadn't told her, what was one more thing added to the endless list? Lorcan was clearly still in love with her, the ring proved that, and she was willing to bet that was the underling cause of his blindness in the future too. So now she had only two questions left to answer…and maybe then, just maybe, she could go home.

The humming changed tune ever so slightly, a new part of the song had been reached. There was something about this melody that unsettled her, it sounded like an ancient Grecian Tragedy, something far to old and sad for a girl as young as Catalina to know. _But she isn't young, _Grace realised, the Lorcan she knew was several hundred years old and yet he didn't look a day over seventeen. Catalina could easily be a hundred, two hundred, three… there was no way of knowing short of asking the girl herself.

The tune really was unsettling. Grace was temped just to say something to break the melody, but she didn't know what to say, and even if she did she doubted she would feel right again…it wasn't just the melody that was bothering her now, there was something else too.  
Every conversation Grace had had with Lorcan's fiancée flickered through her mind. Something wasn't right here. _She isn't right. _Hadn't someone once told her that?

* * *

It didn't take long to reach the guesthouse but by that time it had already started to drizzle. Once inside they hung their cloaks up and at once Catalina disappeared up the narrow wooden staircase leaving Grace on her own.

Grace sighed and made her way into the main common room of the inn where a fire was burning brightly. Lorcan was already there, sitting by the hearth, and for a moment she saw fiery thirst reflected in his eyes. But then it was gone; this Lorcan was human, she reminded herself, but then again it wasn't going to stay that way for long. He would die. He would die tonight. The though struck her with such sadness that Grace felt like falling to her knees and weeping. He was going to die and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Grace?" Lorcan asked, glancing up at her, he sounded surprised and worried, "Grace, what's wrong? Has something happened?"

She shook her head fiercely but turned her eyes downward, not trusting herself to speak. At once he was at her side, taking her hand in his, "What is it? What's happened? You can tell me anything, you know, or I can get mother or Josephine if you prefer."

She shock her head again, but couldn't bring herself to look at him. She had know he was going to die, that's why she was here, and she knew he would come back; but that still didn't seem to make it any less bitter. She felt as if she was cheating him of life.

Grace bit down on her tongue to stop the tears from forming and making even more of a scene. But Lorcan knew her to well, even this Lorcan who was a stranger to her, knew her. He titled her chin up and looked into her eyes, "It's okay. Just tell me what's happened"

"N-n-nothing" she managed, "Nothing's happened" _at least not yet, s_he couldn't help but added silently.

He gazed into her eyes for a second longer, then seemingly coming to some kind of conclusion he took a step back, "You're not going to tell me are you, are you? Whatever it is that's troubling you, you can't -or won't- let me help"

She returned her gaze back to the ground, refusing to meet his eyes again. He was right of course. She wasn't going to tell him, but…  
Grace knew she should just agree and walk away, like she was supposed to, but it was to hard, she couldn't bring herself to do it. How could she live knowing she let him die? But at the same time, how could she explain to him what was going to happen?

Neither of them spoke for a moment but then he turned away and made towards the door, "If you want to talk I'll be upstairs, okay?"

Grace watched as he walked away.  
She couldn't do it.  
Couldn't let him walk to his death.  
Not without a fighting chance.

"Wait!"

Grace hadn't meant to sound so forceful, but it worked all the same, Lorcan froze before turning back towards her, "Yes?"

"I need you to do something for me"

He nodded, Grace doubted she had ever seen him more serious before.

"Anything,"

She paused, there was so much she could tell him, but there was only one thing that would help.

"Bring your sword tonight, please, it's important"

He looked at her questioningly for a moment, this time Grace met his eyes, pleading silently for him to agree. After a moment, he nodded once, and left the room.

Grace only hoped it would be enough.

* * *

She didn't trust him. Grace admitted to herself in the privacy of her own mind as she climbed the stairs up to her rented room. She didn't trust Lorcan to be able to defend himself, it was silly; after all she had seen him fight before, but that didn't change how she felt. Grace sighed to herself, this was getting way out of hand. She need to clear her mind, her feeling were beginning to affect her common scene.

Thud!

From up above came the sound of a loud crash quickly followed by a series of smaller crashes and a loud, "_Damnú air!"_

It rained down bit of leather, metal and wood. Fiach stood at the top of the stairs, he looked flush with annoyance, but as he caught sight of Grace his faced reddened even more with embarrassment and nervousness.

"Beggin' your pardon, Miss! I didn't mean it! I'm sorry, I shouldn't-"

Grace couldn't help herself; she laughed. It was just so funny to see a boy only a few years younger than herself treating her as if she were royalty.

She stooped over to pick up the nearest fallen object, it was a currycomb, a brush for a horse. The next item was an iron bit.

"Are you taking these down to the stable?" Grace asked seeing all the items were for either a horse or carriage.

"Yes ma'am. I'm sorry I swore, I didn't mean it. I-"

"It doesn't matter" Grace said hurriedly, while she did find it funny to be treated this way. That didn't mean she liked it. She believed in equality, and she definitely did not want people waiting on her hand and foot, "Here, I'll help you take them down to the stables"

"Miss, you can't…"

Grace ignored him and continued to pick up the dropped objects. She was sick of people telling her she couldn't do things. _You can__'__t help. You can__'__t climb into a carriage without help. You can__'__t carry money. You can__'__t save him. _That was going to change.

Uncertainly, Fiach helped her pick up the rest of the gear. She followed him to the stables. Grace didn't know the way, it was round the back of the guest house and Fiach used a cramped hallway, hidden between the more upmarket rooms, it was for the servants eyes only. Presumably this way why Grace hadn't seen much of Rosaline or Fiach or any other servants for that matter. They were behind the scenes, something to be ignored, she wished she'd paid more attention.

"You shouldn't have helped me, Miss. It's not right you having to do all this work"

Grace shook her head as they walked, "No, what's not right is you having to work all the time. Kids are supposed to have fun, otherwise they grown up far to fast" _Just like me. _

Fiach was stubborn, "It's not right, you're a lady. Me? I was born working, it's in the blood."

When they reached the stable, they set the items down on the floor, in the corner of the room. As they did so, there was a small silver light as a beam of light from the open door reflected off the polished metal surface of one of the pieces. Almost hesitantly, Grace reached out for the silver shard. It was only a tiny fragment of the metal that was exposed, the rest was covered in worn leather. Grace knew what it was at once, her brother might not be a captain, but he was a pirate after all. She drew the knife from it's holster and held it up, admiringly. The weapon glinted in the sunlight.

"Are you feeling well, Miss. Tempest?" Grace lowered the silver knife slightly and turned towards Fiach. He looked nervous.  
"I feel fine, why?"

"It's like I said. A lady like you shouldn't be here. It's not your place"

Again, she shook her head, smiling incredulously. "I'm no lady. I'm just a girl, who got a bit lost"

"'Course you're a lady; and a proper one at that." Fiach exclaimed, "You're like one of them fairytale Princesses, that are always helping people. Like when you helped me just now or when you let Rosaline sit in the carriage. You're always kind. I wish there was something I could do for you"

Grace's smile was genuine this time, she sincerely wished she had spent more time getting to know him. But it would be to late now, she would be leaving soon, she could feel it in her bones. _A Princess? _No one had ever suggested such an absurd idea; pretty rich girls like Catalina were the princesses of this world. Not the Pirate's Sisters.  
Grace's eyes turned back towards the knife, and just like the reflection of light that had caught her eye, an idea flashed through her mind.

"Actually, there is something you can do for me." She spoke slowly, thinking as she spoke, "This knife. I was wondering if I could borrow it. Just for a little bit. You could have it back by tomorrow"

Fiach really did look worried now, "I dunno, Miss, it doesn't seem right, ladies don't need knives…"

"I'll pay you," Grace said quickly, seizing desperately at this half-chance. She reached for the purse she still had at her waist and pulled out a fistful of gold coins, "You can buy a new knife with this. A better one. Or if you want you can keep this knife and buy a second one for me with this money, you can keep the change. I just need a knife for tonight."

His eyes bulged ,Grace could have sworn they were about to pop out. His mouth hung open in shook, too. It was probably more money than he had ever seen in his entire life. After a moment he managed to regain his voice, "It's not right, Miss. I can't…"

She took Fiach's hand and slipped the gold into it, "I don't need this money. But I do need a weapon, and I'd rather you benefit form this, then me having to sneak out and buy my own or even steal one, which is what I'll do if I have to, because like I said, 'I'm no lady'"

Fiach nodded, but he couldn't look her in the eye. Grace felt guilty, she wasn't really giving him much of a choice in the matter. But she ploughed on regardless, she was doing it for the greater good. It would be worth it. She hoped.

Somewhere from out in the town square, a bell began to toll. It echoed throughout the city. Four tolls. Four O'Clock. Just two more hours until the ball. Drat.

As the tolling stopped, Grace heard a new sound. The sound of footsteps outside the stable door. Without thinking she hid the knife behind her back.

"Finch are you in here?" Rosaline called out, poking her head into the stable, "Ah, there you are" she said catching sight of him, then she jumped as she saw Grace standing there, "Begging your pardon, Miss, I didn't know you were here"

"It's alright" Grace said rather awkwardly, trying to keep the knife hidden from view. She glanced at Finch who was trying to hide his fistfuls of coins.

"If you don't mind me saying so, Miss…but shouldn't you be getting ready for the ball?" Rosaline asked.

"Yes!" Grace seized the chance to escape, "Yes, I should. Thank you" she edged out of the room, careful to stay facing Rosaline and her back to the wall. She didn't want to have to explain why she was now carrying a knife around with her.

Grace stepped backwards through the door, Rosaline was watching her strangely, "Umm… I'll see you later. Bye" She hurried out, as soon as Rosaline had turned her back she took the knife out from behind her back and cautiously hurried back into the guest house.

* * *

Once Grace was safely in her room, she tucked the knife into a drawer of a wooden desk. As she was closing it, there was a knick on her door, "Come in" she called out.

Clare opened the door, and stepped in, dressed in a long white dress and a light pink _canezou, _her hair had been curled tightly and was piled onto of her head.

"Mother wants to know how soon you'll be ready to go" she glanced at Grace, "I'll tell her your not dressed yet"

She shut the door before Grace had the chance to protest.

A few moment later the door was flung open, and a very distressed Kyna flounced in. Quickly followed by Clare and a curious Anna.

"You're in trouble now," Anna warned.

"Shush" Kyna said, "Go keep an eye on your brother, and make sure he doesn't get anything on his clothes" Anna nodded and ran off down the hallway.

Then Kyna turned to Grace and sighed, "Oh, Grace, I thought you were getting ready"

"I'm sorry," she said genuinely; she could see Kyna had enough on her plate already without her adding to the trouble, "I thought you said the ball was at six and-"

"It is, but we need time to get in the carriage and then to get there and sort out our cloaks and things and…oh, we don't even have time to out your hair in curls"

She tried smoothing down Grace's hair, "Quick, get me my comb, will you?" Clare did as her mother bade, disappearing and the retuning comb in hand.

"Sit down" Kyna said to Grace, already pushing her into a chair. She took the comb from her daughters hand and began running it through Grace's auburn hair.

"Clare, will you go see if Miss. Catalina is dressed"

Again, Clare left the room. Kyna began muttering to herself quietly as she combed Grace's hair, "What to do, what to do…and so little time…"

Grace blushed in embarrassment, she didn't need help getting ready! She could do it herself. Catalina entered the room, and Grace was felt smug to see that Catalina wasn't dressed yet, either, although she had put up her hair and done her make-up.

At once Catalina took over from Kyna, combing Grace's hair and then pulling it back into a fancy bun.

Now, Grace felt even more embarrassed. She did not want Lorcan's fiancée thinking she was incapable of looking after herself. She tried standing up but Catalina pushed her back down onto the seat, she was surprisingly strong for such a frail looking girl.

"Stop fussing, I'm almost done. Clare, run and fetch my jewellery box"

"I can do it myself, I-"

"There's no need" Catalina cut in, as Clare returned barring a large ornate box, she set it down on the table and Catalina undid the latch on the box and began flicking through mountains of jewels, necklaces, rings, bracelets and other countless accessories.

"Ah-ha! Here we are" she pulled out a thin gold headband and set it on Grace's head, then she continued digging in the box until she had found a pair of gold earrings, she handed them to Grace, "Put these on"

Grace did as she was told. Catalina clapped her hand together in happiness, "_Parfum_! Perfect!"

Grace stood up, no one stopped her this time, and walked across the room to wear a small mirror stood on the desk. She glanced at her reflection, and couldn't help but smile. She had to admit, Catalina had done a good job; her hair and been pulled back into an elaborate updo and the gold contrasted with her hair perfectly.

"Oh, you look so pretty, Grace!" Clare exclaimed.

"Yes, you do look lovely" Kyna agreed.

"Thank you" Grace said, smiling. Then she turned to Catalina, "Thank you, too, for doing this"

Catalina smiled, "Think nothing of it. You did buy my dress for me earlier, if I recall correctly. But I must go now, I need to go and finish getting ready" with that she took her jewellery box and then headed out the door.

Kyna picked up the package containing Grace's new dress and unwrapped it, "Right, let's get you dressed."

The blush returned to Grace's cheeks, "I'd rather get dressed on my own," she stammered, "If you don't mind". There were some things she _was _going to do herself.

"Right," Kyna said setting down the package, "I'll just check on Anna and Davin then"

She left the room with Clare at her side.

Once they were gone, Grace quickly got changed into her new dress. Then she strolled over to the desk and pulled open the drawer. She picked up the knife and weighed it in her palm before coming to a decision. She picked up her old dress and used the knife to shred it into long strips. She wouldn't be needing it again.

Grace picked up one of the strips of cloth and wrapped it around her right-hand lower calve as many times as it would go before tying it. Then she picked up another piece of cloth and used it to strap the knife to her calve, over the cloth. Hopefully, the first piece of cloth would stop her leg being torn to shreds, at least, that was the idea. She stood and smoothed down her dress, which was long enough to cover the makeshift sheath, if she was lucky no one would realise it was there.

"Miss Tempest! Miss de Bánffy!" Kyna's voice called from downstairs, "Are you ready?"

"Just a minute!" Grace shouted back. She picked up a golden _stole_ and draped it over her arms, before glancing once more in the mirror and smiling to herself.

"Grace! Catalina!" - This time it was Lorcan's voice who called them.

"Coming!" Grace yelled down the chair, she hurried down the stairs, tripping over her dress in the process as she reached the last few steps. Lorcan caught her, "Steady on, Grace" he said with a laugh.

Josephine gazed at her icily, as she picked herself up from Lorcan's arms. She stood next to Anna and Clare, all there sister wore matching dresses in white and pink. Near by, Kyna paced the floor, looking worried. Davin watched her progress in mild fascination.

"Catalina!" Lorcan called again, "Are you nearly ready!"

"_Draga mea_!" Catalina said sharply appearing at the top of the stairs, "There's no need to shout"

Lorcan looked stunned. Grace could understand why. Catalina was dressed in a sheer white dress and golden robe. Her hair was half-up in an ancient roman style, adored with white pearls and diamonds. She looked like an angel.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs (in a much more dignified fashion than Grace had) Lorcan, in utter adoration, took her and kissed it, "You look stunning"

She smiled charmingly and took him by the arm, "Shall we go?"


	31. The Dance: Part One

**_I'm really sorry I never finished this. I won't bother with excuses since it's really just a waste of words, I'll just let you get on with the story. Although I would like to mention that this chapter was actually supposed to be longer but since I spent so much time on it already, I just ended it here (hence the awkward ending) - that has also changed the number of chapters so I think 'The Dance' will probably end up being posted as 3/4 different parts instead of just the 2. But yeah, never mind that. I hope you all enjoy this as well as the last (for now) Vampirates book! Thank you so much for the support/encouragement/reviews too! I promise I will finish this eventually. _**

* * *

Grace stepped out of the carriage and (with the assistance of Finch - she'd learnt her lesson, now) onto the slippery cobbles and looked up at the building in front of her, a grey stone building ornamented in an ancient gothic style; it was impressive but rather bleak; made even more so by the drizzling rain and cloudy sky.

As she looked up she felt a wave of vertigo and was forced to close her eyes as the scene began to blur. The ground rocked beneath her feet, like a ship lurched thought the waves. She felt a hand grasp her shoulder.

"Grace?" Kyna asked softly.

She opened her eyes, and the rocking motion stopped. She turned to face Lorcan's mother, "We ought to be heading inside, now, we're getting soaked"

Grace nodded, but hesitated a few more seconds to watch Josephine and Clare get out of the carriage they'd ridden from Connemara, and a second carriage pull up which they'd rented for the occasion (Catalina's excuse had been she hadn't wanted her dress to be wrinkled), which Lorcan, Catalina, Anna and Davin rode in. She watched as Lorcan, dressed in all his finery, got out of the carriage first to help his pale angel, Catalina, down. The sight reminded her of a bride and groom dressed for their wedding day.

"Come on, Grace" Clare said, taking her hand and pulling her towards the building, "It's too wet to be standing around"

Grace let herself be propelled towards the building. She knew she needed to be thinking of a plan to save Lorcan, but she felt so lost at that moment, not helped by her current light-headedness. There wasn't anything she could do, he was going to die and it would be all her fault…

_Snap out of it! _She mentally commanded herself, _Think of something! What would Connor do if he were here? He'd be memorising exits and looking for potential threats and things. _

With great effort, she pulled her mind back into focus, and began to focus on what she knew: _Lorcan had died in Dublin when he was 17 year old - this was defiantly the right place and time.  
He then began a vampire - this also made sense considering his girlfriends was most likely a vampire, albeit who could walk in the light. _

Grace paused in her musings as they entered the building, and she, Clare, Kyna and Josephina were directed into a large room where a number of other ladies stood around chatting, drinking coffee and freshening up. A servant offered to take Grace's wet cloak, and gratefully she accepted.

The dressing room was crowded - already she has lost sight of the Fureys among all the posh ladies in their lavish gowns - and more were arriving every minute; among the newcomers she spotted Anna and Catalina. Anna waved at her, she was beaming as she slipped between the throngs and made her way over to Grace.

"Isn't this fun?"

"Yeah…it's great" she said half-heatedly, Anna didn't seem to notice or mind her lack of enthusiasm.

"How many people do you think are here? Catalina said there's at least three-hundred, but I think there's going to be a _million _people! What do you think?"

"Um, I'm not sure, maybe-"

"Oh! Do you think they'll be any cake?" Anna exclaimed excitedly, cutting in. Grace couldn't help but smile at that, "What about sweetmeats? Or maybe pie? I hope there is, I'm going to ask mother!" with that she ran off towards a table covered in combs, pins, needles, thread and other frivolities; where, Kyna stood patiently pinning back a strand of hair that had come lose from Clare's bun.

As a rather large woman bumped into her and hastily apologised, Grace decided to wait for the others outside; she quickly followed a gaggle of young women through another doorway and into a waiting room. Three young men rose to greet the ladies and they left through another door, which, Grace guessed, lead to the main ballroom.

She spotted Josephine sitting in one of the seats and, glad to see a familiar face (even if they were still fighting), Grace sat beside her.

Josephine raised an eyebrow when she saw her, "Done already?"

"Yes," she said squirming inwardly at her scrutinizing gaze. Josephine, unlike her younger sister, seemed to recognise Grace's discomfort.

"I only mentioned it because you're not wearing any gloves"

"Gloves?" Grace repeated, looking down at her bare hands and then at Josephine's white gloved ones, before stealing a quick glance at the rest of the rooms occupants; all of which also wore white gloves, "I don't have any gloves"

Josephine's other eyebrow rose to join the first one, "You don't have any gloves?" she confirmed, "Why on earth would you go to a ball without gloves. You can't even dance without gloves on"

_Was it really that big of a deal? _"Well, that's okay, I wasn't planning on dancing"

Josephine looked at her incredulously, "Are you being serious?"

"I don't do dancing. I don't even know how to dance" She couldn't understand what all the fuss was about, and anyway she had more important things to be worrying about right now.

Josephine opened her mouth to speak but thought better of it, as Lorcan appeared.

"Good Evening, " he said, looking at Josephine, then Grace and then back at Josephine. When neither answered, he rolled his eyes, "Are you two _still _fighting?"

"No, of course not" Josephine answered quickly.

"No," Grace said at the same time. She didn't want to talk about it with _him,_ of all people. Plus, she wasn't exactly sure they were still fighting; Josephine _was _speaking to her now, after all.

His gaze flicked between them again, "Really, you two are both so _puerile_."

Josephine snorted, "I suppose _puerile_ is a word Catalina taught you, because goodness knows you've never read anything with a words as _erudite_ as that"

Her insult only made Lorcan laugh. Grace wondered why he baited her like that, but then she noticed the familiar spark of playfulness in both their eyes, clearly this was only a squabble between siblings, nothing more.

"That is exactly what I mean," said Lorcan, "you're acting like a juvenile, little sister"

She glared at him, "_Little sister_? I am only a year younger than you, dear _brother, _and from what I recall it is _I_ who ends up putting the estates in order, when mother can't, and it was _I_ who had to plan this trip after you _begged _me for help and-"

"Excuse me, but what is going on here?" a melodic voice interrupted. Grace turned her head and saw Catalina standing with her folded, glaring at the siblings, "We are in a public place, and I will not have my fiancée making a scene for all of Ireland to see" she said angrily.

Lorcan, at least, had the decency to look somewhat embarrassed. Josephine merely frowned, "I'm going to go see if the others are ready" she turned towards Grace and dropped a spare pair of while gloves on her lap, "Trust me, you'll need these" she said before disappearing back into the dressing room and passing Kyna on the way, leaving Grace to ponder her words.

As Kyna joined them, she noticed, for the first time that she was not wearing black. Instead, she was wearing a deep purple albeit trimmed with black lace. But perhaps the biggest change was Kyna's expression as she laughed wholeheartedly at a joke a big-boned woman walking next to her had just told. She wiped away a few tears of laughter and then smiled as she caught sight of the trio, "Ah, here they are!"

"Lorcan, I'd like you to meet Lady Lifford, a very old and very dear friend of mine"

He bowed formally, "A pleasure to meet you"

The woman - Lady Lifford - laughed good naturedly and Grace immediately decided she liked Kyna's friend, "He looks just like you, Kyna. The hair, those eyes…very handsome. I'm surprised he's not married, with those looks"

To Grace's surprise Lorcan blushed.

Kyna laughed again, "He might as well be; this is his fiancée Lady Catalina de Bánffy" Catalina curtsied.

"Ah, I see. And what a beautiful bride you'll be, Lady Catalina. I wish you every happiness for the future"

Catalina smiled, "Thank you"

Kyna nodded towards Grace, "This here is Miss Grace Tempest, her brother's a Captain and she's been staying with us, while he is away"

Grace stood up and attempted to curtsey as Catalina had, it was harder than it looked and she wobbled unsteadily for a moment before catching her balance.

Lady Lifford's eyes widened, "Ooh, a Captain? How exciting. I knew a captain once…" she turned towards Kyna, her eyes sparkling, "Surly you remember Captain Callaghan from Clare-Isle"

Kyna's eyes were sparkling too, "Oh aye, I remember him. A fine fellow, _very_ handsome. And I do seem to remember having to distract your chaperone _and _your parents while you two got acquainted in the garden"

Both women laughed. Lorcan was blushing again, "Mother! You can't say things like that, it's too scandalous"

"Oh, hush and wipe that stunned look off you're face. I did have a life before I was married, you know. And anyway, it's alright, Lady Lifford is family; we're second cousins, three times removed."

Lady Lifford's brow furrowed, "Humph, I always thought it was third cousins, twice removed"

Grace sat back down as the two women began to argued good naturedly. She could definitely see where Lorcan and Josephine got at least some of their personality from.

"I'm going to ask one of the servants to see if they can find any of my sisters, so we can go into the main hall" Grace heard Lorcan say to Catalina, "I'll be back in a minute"

"Well for goodness sakes don't start arguing with them again once you do find them, and don't cause a scene"

He chuckled, "We were only joking around you know"

Catalina frowned, "That is what I don't like about it"

He tenderly caressed the side of her face for a few seconds, "Don't worry, I'll behave," She smiled briefly, but the smile faded as he let go of her, turned his back and disappeared to find a servant.

For a moment Grace was struck at what dashing figure Lorcan cut in his dark hat, boots and buttoned coat; the only time she'd seen him so dressed up before was at the feast.

_That _struck a cord in Grace's memory. _Of course! _She though, _I need to be keeping an eye on him, not day dreaming! And I need a plan. _

She thought back to what she had been thinking before; of the facts she already knew that surrounded Lorcan's death.

_She'd gotten the time and place right. She'd also established that Catalina was a vampire. This left two very big questions in Grace's mind._ _The first being: What had happened to Catalina? If Catalina was a vampire, she was immortal right? So where was she in the year 2512? Grace was pretty sure she would have known by now if the girl was living on the Nocturne, there was just some things even Lorcan would never be able to hide. _

_Her second question was: How exactly had Lorcan died? Had Catalina killed him so they could have a happily ever after? Had someone else killed him and she saved him? Had Catalina told him what she was, had he begged her to change him? The last one was seeming more and more likely to Grace as time went on._

The questions circled her mind, but no matter how hard she thought, she struggled to answer either of them.

"Grace," a voice said her concentration, "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, yes," She answered realising it was Catalina who spoke. She now noticed that Lorcan had managed to find all his siblings and they were waiting for her. She stood up and followed across the room and towards a large set of double doors, slipping on her gloves as she did so.

* * *

There was a small line forming at the door, so Grace and the others were forced to stop for a moment, as a servant announced the names of the two families in front of them to the rest of the assembly.

Regardless all the dangers she had been though, Grace felt nervous, she had never been to a ball before and wasn't quite sure what to expect.

All too soon, they reached the front of the line. And the announcer began to call out their names, "Presenting The Right Honourable Lord and Lady Furey, Baron and Baroness of Connemara-"

Both Lorcan and Kyna smiled and disappeared into the ball room. Despite everything Grace felt a twinge of amusement: _The Right Honourable? _She'd have to mention that one to the 26th century Lorcan.

However, she realised, now was not the time to dwell over it, as the servant continued speaking " and their kindred The Honourable Miss Furey," at that Josephine stepped forward. Followed by Clare, " The Honourable Miss Clare Furey. The Honourable Miss. Anne-Elizabeth Furey and The Honourable Master Davin Furey"

It took her a moment to realise that Anne-Elizabeth was really Anna. Then there was a pause as Anna tried to lead a squirming Davin into the room. Grace was tempted to help but decided it would probably be one of those things, like getting out of a carriage on her own, that she could get away with at home but not right now.

After a moment, when Anna has disappeared with the rest of her family, the announcer continued "and presenting their esteemed guests: The Most Honourable Catalina, Marchioness of Mureş and Miss Tempest"

Grace could help but blush as she entered the ballroom with Catalina; it was crowded, but less than half of them seemed to actually be paying attention to the new arrivals. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Lorcan beckoning them, relived she stepped out of the limelight and towards him.

* * *

Grace watched the crowd uneasily. For the most part they ignored her, although she did get a few curious stares back. It wasn't like any party Grace had ever seen, there was no food or music and she had yet to see anyone dancing. Everyone just talked.

Catalina and Lorcan had disappeared, much to Grace's ever increasing nervousness. But they had been replaced by Lady Lifford who joined them again, introducing her husband, son and daughter.

"Grace," Clare called. She turned and looked at Lorcan's sister who approached her carrying a small stack of papers. She took one of the top of the pile and handed it to her. However it was not - as Grace first thought - a single sheet of paper, but a small booklet with a pencil attached by a braided rope. The cover of the book depicted a scene of children running around a maypole with flowers and ribbons. She flicked to the first page, it read: _Welcome to the May Day Ball, hosted by Lord Talbot. _

She turned to the next page was made up of blank lines (clearly meant to be filled in with the pencil) with writing underneath them.

"What is it?" Grace asked.

Clare looked at her curiously, "It's a dance card. Haven't you ever seen one before?"

"No. What do you do with it?"

"You give it to the people who ask you to dance, so they can write their names down, that way you won't forget if you've already promised to dance with someone else." Clare answered, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "I'm going to go give these to everybody else"

"Right, okay"

"You can attach the card to your dress, if you want, the rope bit comes undone" she added helpfully.

"Thanks,"

Clare turned and trotted off to give Anna her card.

Grace turned back to watching the crowd, people were beginning to move away from the centre of the room and towards the edges. _Probably to make room for the dancers, _she realised. Once the middle of the room had cleared a man in his mid-fifties, who she assumed to be Lord Talbot, stepped forward and raised his hands, at once the room fell silent.

"Welcome, one and all" He said loudly enough for everyone to hear, she was rather surprised to note he had a strong English accent, which sounded strange to her after being surrounded by Irish brogues and Catalina's ironic Transylvanian accent, "I am glad to see so many of you here tonight, and look forward to dancing and merrymaking with you all, this May day." He paused and there was a round of applause from the guests, "I do not wish to delay our celebrations a minute longer, so without further ado, I give you, The Grand March" There was another burst of applause and music began to play. Grace glanced round for the source of it, but could not see anyone playing, reminding her of the haunting music of the Nocturne, until she thought to look up and spotted a band playing on a balcony above the dance hall.

The double doors at the far side of the room opened, and out streamed a multitude of couples in two straight lines. They walked the length of the room, curtsied or bowed, then walked around the edges of the room, and then joined a second couple and did the same thing as a four and then an eight. It was like no dance se had ever seen before, if anything it was more like a military march than anything else.

The dancers then began to split off back into fours and then again into couples, and then began to weave a more complex pattern, which Grace could not follow. It made her dizzy just watching and her eyes begun to blur as the music became lower and more tribal to the familiar music abroad the Nocturne. Now the line of couples, became two separate lines in her mind: one of donors and the other of vampires, sitting down to their weekly feast. And once again Grace could feel the gentle sway of the ocean as she lay down.

_Snap out of it! _Grace commanded herself, _you're not done here yet!_ The ballroom quickly came back into focus.

Only now did she spot Lorcan and Catalina, among the couples. Both were smiling as they danced with the others. A bright flare of jealousy and anger welled up in Grace, _how dare Lorcan not tell her this himself! How could he lead her to believe he cared for her and never once mention Catalina? _Grace felt a small pain in her hands, as her fingernails dug through the gloves and into the palms of her hand. She unclenched them, unaware 'til now exactly how angry she was. She took a deep breathe, reminding herself that this was not _this _Lorcan's fault, nor was it Catalina's. Besides, she was rather pleased to realise, the dance wasn't nearly as romantic or sensuous as the dance's of Grace's era, the couples were only holding hands and even then both members wore gloves. She could live with that. Just.

* * *

The audience clapped as the dance finished at long last and the dancers began to mingle in with the audience

Someone announced the name of another dance, and the band struck of a new faster tune, and a new dance begun.

After a few moments, Grace spotted Lorcan making their way towards them. He was ruddy cheeked and slightly breathless, but still alive. Catalina was no where to be seen.

As he approached, so did another man, the one Grace had seen make the speech before the dance - Lord Talbot, flanked by five boys and a girl.

When he reached the group, he stopped before Kyna and bowed deeply, who curtsied in return, then he took her hand and kissed it, "Ah, the Baroness Of Connemara, as lovely as ever"

Kyna blushed and Grace couldn't help but smile as she watched Lady Lafford nudge Kyna conspicuously, it reminded her of Darcy.

"Good evening to you, Lord Talbot. On behalf of my family, I thank you for inviting us here tonight"

"You're most welcome, most welcome…How are you? How is the manor and the children? How is Lord Furey, I didn't see him arrive?"

At the last question Kyna visibly flinched, "He died, two years ago"

Lord Talbot glanced at her attire which, although not pitch black as it usually was, still seemed out of place among all the light pastels and whites of the other dresses, "I'm sorry for your loss, I didn't realise"

She nodded, "And I'm sorry for yours, Lady Talbot will be sorely missed" Grace noticed that the Lord was also dressed in dark clothing.

"Aye, that she will. But tell me, who did you travel with if not your husband?"

Kyna nodded at Lorcan, who had just reached them, "My son, the new Baron" she turned towards him, "Lorcan, this is Lord Talbot". The two men shook hands, "A pleasure to meet you"

"And you," Lord Talbot replied, he nodded at the boys who had come with them, four of whom shared similar features, "These are my four oldest sons: Charles, Henry, Arthur and John"

- The oldest boy looked about Lorcan's age and the youngest around Grace's.

Then he nodded to the girl who stood next to the other boy not names, "This is my daughter Frances and her fiancé Lord Legge" The girl curtsied and the boy bowed. Grace noticed, just in time, that the others curtsied in return and copied their example, nearly falling over again in the process.

Kyna then went onto introduce the rest of her children and Grace. When she introduced Davin, Lord Talbot laughed out load, "You're sending him into society a little young, don't you think?"

Kyna laughed too, "Perhaps, but I had no one to care for him back home, and he hasn't caused too much fuss yet"

"That may be true, but why don't I have one of our nursery maids look after him and your other two youngest. My other children are running around the house like mad rabbits, since they won't do to sleep with all this racket on downstairs, I'm sure they'll enjoy the company. My Cecil's about the same age as your Clare and I'm sure she'll be grateful for some feminine company with nine brothers"

Kyna, hesitated a moment before agreeing, "Alright then. I suppose they can go"

"Good. John, will you go introduce the Furey's to you're siblings" Lord Talbot asked the youngest boy, who nodded

"But mother" Clare began turning towards Kyna, "I haven't even gotten a chance to dance yet!"

Kyna seemed torn for a moment, before Lorcan came to the rescue. He bowed to Clare, "Lady Clare, will you give me the honour of dancing with you?"

She grinned and handed him her dance card.

Anna, crossed her arms across her chest and pouted at him, "Aren't you going to ask me to dance? If Finch were here _he'd _ask me" Grace tired to stifle a giggle, she saw Josephine do likewise. Lord Talbot also looked amused.

Lorcan turned towards his youngest sister and in his most formal voice he could muster without laughing said, "I do apologise Lady Anna but I wasn't aware you liked dancing"

"I don't."

"Then why would you want to dance?"

"Because than I can say someone asked me to dance. Mrs. Dubh said she'd bet a years wages no one would because I'm to unruly and then I asked her if she'd bet a two cakes instead if someone asked me to dance, and then she said 'alright' and-"

By now everyone was grinning at Anna's story - Grace had to bite her lip from laughing out load now. It was too cute - especially since the seven year old hadn't even paused for breath yet.

She could see Lorcan was struggling not grin, "How about I take you back to the market tomorrow instead," he interrupted, "I'll let you buy whatever desert you want"

Anna's eyes widened slightly, "Really? You promise?"

"I promise"

She grinned, a grin resembling Lorcan's, and hugged him, "Thank you! You're the best brother ever!" She let go of him.

"Lorcan," Clare began, taking hold of his hand and pulling him away from the rest of the group, "The next dance is about to start! We don't want to miss it!"

"Alright, I'm coming" He glanced back as Clare pulled him away, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Lords Talbot"

Grace watched him go, mindfully keeping an eye out for any possible danger, until they disappeared into the crowd and she could see him no more. Then, tearing her eyes away from the scene, she turned back to her companions.

By now, Josephine and Kyna wore matching expressions of mortification and exasperation. "I must apologise for my children's behaviour tonight" Kyna said addressing Lord Talbot, "It seems the excitement of the ball has gotten to them"

Lord Talbot laughed, "There's no need to apologise. I know exactly what it's like. I actually find your's quite charming; not like my terrible bunch!" he glanced at his own children affectionately.

"Father!" The youngest boy, John, exclaimed blushing.

He smiled, "Why don't you go show Anna and Davin, where you're siblings are. You can come fetch Clare after she's had her dance"

John nodded and left with the two youngest Furey's in tow.

"Now Lady Furey, why don't I introduce you to a few of my other friends…"

They too disappeared, along with the oldest son, Charles.

Grace turned her attention back to crowds, the third dance of the night had started. She caught sight of Lorcan and Clare, right away. Clare was a surprisingly good dancer, she must have been practicing for years, Grace mused, and for that matter, Lorcan must have also since he seemed to already know all the strange patterns and complicated steps of the dance. It was almost comic watching, simply because she could never imagined _her _Lorcan being able to dance. Well, it was comic because of that and the fact that his partner, Clare, was only about two-thirds the height of the other dancers.

Next to her, Arthur coughed politely to get her attention, "So where is it you're from?" he asked as she turned towards him.

"Australia"

"Oh, really? I heard it's very beautiful this time of year"

She raised an eyebrow, "You've heard of it?"

He blushed and looked down at the floor, embarrassed, "We'll no actually, but I thought you might have wanted to talk to me if we had something in common"

Grace couldn't but smile at that and he smiled back, "So where about is this Australia?"

"It's between the pacific and Indian oceans, south of Indonesia"

"That's not exactly local then is it?"

"No I'm just visiting," she said, then tired of talking about herself added, "So what about you? You live here right?" she gestured to the room in general.

"Sometimes. We've got a couple of homes in Staffordshire, London and Pendoylan, which isn't quite as exotic as where you're from, but it has it's charms"

Grace smiled politely, and let her attention wander. Josephine was talking to the other brother, Henry. She let her gaze slide back to the dancers; she couldn't see Lorcan or Clare now, but she spotted Catalina right away, who, much to her surprise, was dancing with a much older man.

"Would you like to dance?" Arthur asked.

She looked back at him, and blushed, he must have thought she wasn't paying attention to him because she wanted to dance. Oops.

"Erm, not really, I don't really…"

At that moment, it seemed Josephine was overcome with a coughing fit. The boys turned to her, to make sure she was alright. Between coughs Josephine glared at her, and at once she realised she was faking.

Grace gave her a questioning look, it was clear Josephine was trying to tell her something but she had no idea what. Grace couldn't help but look over her shoulder, in case something had happened behind her. There was nothing.

Jospehine must have realised she was clueless because she stopped coughing and tried a new tact.

"I'm sorry, I must apologise for that-" she coughed again, for effect, "I'm sorry, Grace, I interrupted you; you were just about to say you wouldn't dance without a proper invitation." She turned towards Arthur, "I do hope you realise that Miss Tempest comes from a very proper family and would not be able to dance unless asked in a formal manner" she said in an almost scolding voice. He blushed, his checks flaming red, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so familiar" He apologised to Grace before bowing, "Miss. Tempest will you give me the honour of dancing the next set with you?"

Grace glanced hesitantly at Josephine, who was shaking her head 'yes'. She said something, but it was to quite for her to hear.

'What?' Grace mouthed.

Josephine made clamped her hands together and made a silent pleading movement as she nodded desperately. Grace was even more confused now, Arthur was still bowing, although he looked even more uncomfortable than ever, clearly they all wanted her to say yes.

"Yes?"

He stood up. Josephine looked slightly relieved. Only Henry seemed unbothered, he chuckled at his brother's embarrassment, "Don't worry, ladies are always this particular about frivolities. Watch and learn" He winked and made a sweeping bow to Jospehine, "Will you give me the pleasure of dancing with you?"

She smiled sweetly, "With pleasure, sir"

* * *

As soon as Arthur's attention was distracted elsewhere, Grace grabbed Josephine's arm and pulled her away from everybody else, so they could talk in private. They both glared at each other for a second.

"What were you thinking?" Josephine hissed.

"What was _I_ thinking? What we're you thinking? I said I wasn't going to dance! Why did you want me to say yes?"

Josephine's eyes bulged, "Are you really _that _clueless?" She took a calming breath, "Okay…I know you're not from around here, so let me explain. When a man asks you to dance at a ball, you cannot refuse unless you've already promised to dance with someone else"

"_What_? But that's ridiculous!" Grace said, nearly at shouting level. Attracting the attention of a few bystanders.

"Regardless, that's the way things work" Josephine answered, much more calmly.

"But I don't want to dance. I don't even know how!"

"So? You can't refuse, you'd be insulting whoever asked you as well as whoever invited them, it's ill mannered, not to mention social suicide."

"But-"

"Just dance, please"

She was taken aback before Josephine had sounded angry and now she just sounded desperate. Grace felt slightly bad now they had been fighting, "Okay, I'll try"

"Good, I'll help you as much as I can" She opened her dance card and glanced down at it, "It shouldn't be to bad, the next dance is a quadrille"

"A quad-what?"

"A quadrille, just make sure you're not leading the first set"

"Right…okay" Grace was left feeling even more confused than ever.

She sighed, something which was becoming a bit of a habit around Grace and explained, "A quadrille is a dance with four couples, one couple dances a set and then the others copy them, it's quite simple. "

"Sure, simple" she muttered, try her best to quell the feeling of dread rising up in her chest, not all of which could be attributed to the up-and-coming dance.

* * *

**_Well I hope you liked it. I tried to make it as historically accurate as possible but I know there are some mistakes. If you have any questions just let me know._**

_**(PS. Vampirates belongs to the wonderful and auspicious Justin Somper, as if you didn't already know that)**  
_


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